Chapter 85.1: What I Wish for Spring (1)
「It’s not surprising that the body dies, it’s a given. If they come to me before they die, I’m confident I can save them somehow.
However, the death of the heart is different.
Their heart may be beating, they may be eating, and talking, but that person is dead.
There’s no visible wound, so how can I possibly save them?
━From the letters of Dr. Black”
🔹🔹🔹
Cain felt speechless for the first time in a while as he looked at Marquis McLoud.
He grinned.
“Didn’t we just meet? I made sure our schedules aligned.”
He may seem amiable, but a marquis is still a marquis.
And Marquis McLoud, a seasoned veteran of Airian politics for decades, had a bite to his words.
“You knew when we would arrive?”
“Of course. That’s why Ross fostered the Director of Railways, and I’ve been feeding the Railway Authority plenty.”
“Then you also knew about Marquis Ross’s attempt on my life?”
Marquis McLoud laughed.
Within his clear laughter, devoid of any darkness, McLoud’s blade flashed.
“Believe it or not, if I had to choose between knowing and not knowing, it would be the latter. I’m the type to talk things out first, so naturally, I thought that bastard Ross would do the same.”
McLoud’s words implied that while he was aware of Sigma and the Elveknights sneaking onto the train, he hadn’t anticipated an outright attack.
“I see.”
Cain simply agreed.
This time, it was Marquis McLoud who tilted his head in puzzlement.
“What makes you trust my words so easily?”
“If it’s the truth, I’ll trust it, and if it’s a lie, there’s nothing I can do about it anyway, so it’s right to trust it here.”
“You……”
Chuck.
Marquis McLoud grabbed Cain’s hand. Cain would have dodged if he could, but he didn’t dare, fearing his fingers might break under the rough pull.
With sparkling eyes, McLoud held onto Cain’s hand and moved to the opposite seat.
“Are you sure you don’t want to be my grandson-in-law? With any luck, you could be the king’s son-in-law, the Count of Ethelred, and the Marquis of McLoud!”
“Being the king’s son-in-law is one thing, but how could I possibly become the Marquis of McLoud?”
Marquis McLoud does have children, and he has several sons. But skipping a generation and entrusting the Marquisate to his grandson-in-law would be..━. Unless the Marquis has gone mad━
“I’ll push you! I don’t like any of my children because they’re all so unreliable.”
Cain inwardly corrected himself, thinking that Marquis McLoud might actually be a little crazy.
“Please don’t joke about such things. I doubt there’s a single knight here who would be tempted by the offer of becoming your successor.”
“Why would they be? They’re all my loyal knights!”
“They may be loyal to you now. But after Lord Marquis passes away, won’t they all be wondering what to do?”
“That’s true!”
“The time when the succession is in chaos is when they’re worth the most, so they’ll naturally make a move. It’s not even betrayal, just securing their future while aligning themselves with the next Marquis of McLoud.”
Smirk━.
Marquis McLoud let out a clear laugh and shouted.
“All of you, stand up!”
Chuck.
At his command, the twelve knights inside the passenger car stood up in unison.
“Those of you who wish to align yourselves with my sons, raise your hands.”
Seven out of the twelve raised their hands without hesitation.
“Thinking is free, but tell me, who among you has actually taken action?”
Six of the seven lowered their hands, leaving only the youngest-looking knight with his hand still raised.
Cain looked at his face.
His eyes were trembling, and cold sweat beaded on his skin.
He desperately wanted to lower his arm, but he couldn’t move, like a puppet bound by strings.
Marquis McLoud looked back at Cain.
“As you said, there was one. Then, I assume he’ll be reporting every detail of our conversation to my son?”
A chill ran down Cain’s spine.
Beneath the jovial smile, a cold glint flashed once more, and Marquis McLoud casually ordered,
“Kill yourself.”
“Y, Yes, my… Lord.”
Trembling━.
The knight, who had kept his hand raised until the very end, drew his sword and pointed it at his own throat.
Extreme terror and regret were evident on his face, yet his arm moved without hesitation.
Swoosh━.
Just as the tip of the sword was about to pierce his skin.
“Whoa, hold on.”
It was Cain.
Cain grabbed the knight’s blade with his bare hand.
Clang!
He broke it.
However, contrary to his terrified expression, the knight tried to stab himself in the neck even with the broken blade.
Clatter━.
Cain lightly activated Pure White Thunderbolt, knocking out the knight who was trying to kill himself while shedding tears. However, even lying on the floor, the knight’s arm continued to twitch.
It was as if a parasite was struggling to kill its host.
Cain stepped on the arm to pin it down and looked at Marquis McLoud.
Cain’s expression turned frosty, but the marquis simply smiled like a kind grandfather, as if nothing had happened.
“You seem quite displeased.”
“Is it a curse?”
“Indeed. It’s a shame that only twelve wizards in my territory can inscribe this curse, but all my knights receive it.”
“…….”
Cain’s eyes narrowed.
The marquis, feigning ignorance, smiled again.
“Why, does it seem like I’m forcing them?”
Cain glanced at the other eleven knights.
Some clicked their tongues softly, but none showed pity or sympathy for the knight writhing on the floor.
“Not at all.”
“It’s entirely their choice. To become my knight, they must accept the curse of absolute obedience to my commands. If not, they’re free not to even apply.”
“How efficient.”
“I’m not good with trusting people. To entrust my life to someone I’ve lived apart from for decades, this much is necessary, don’t you think?”
Shhwip━.
Marquis McLoud rose from his seat and spread his arms.
Standing against the backdrop of the scenery bathed in the colors of dawn, he opened his mouth.
“You could have all of this if you marry my granddaughter.”
“So you’re the kind of person who would watch Marquis Ross join hands with the elves just to use me.”
Cain’s words were ice-cold.
However, Marquis McLoud shook his head and denied it.
“Join hands? Isn’t it just a matter of accepting elf converts and using their skills?
“…….”
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