“…What?”
In his bewilderment, quite a stupid-sounding voice came out.
Klad deliberately composed his voice and asked again.
“What’s the reason for wanting to blow up the city?”
“Precisely, it’s to cause a commotion to the extent that it doesn’t harm the territory’s residents here. It would be good to finish destroying the lord’s castle that’s already half-destroyed.”
“So why?”
“Father intends to blow up this city and pin everything on me. But if you think about it carefully, maintaining peace in this city is actually more dangerous.”
Jake approached the window and looked at the sky where bright sunlight poured down. Even though an explosion had occurred at the lord’s castle a few days ago, the city was still peaceful.
If this could be called peace.
“When a lord dies, the next heir inherits the title, and if there’s no heir, His Majesty the Emperor sends another appropriate noble. But when a lord goes missing, the procedures become complicated.”
Since the lord of an entire city had vanished without a trace, the Emperor would send a knight order to find the cause of the disappearance. But would the Duke, who had many secrets hidden here, really want that?
The Duke would try to prevent anyone else from interfering in this matter by any means, and to do so, he would conceal Baron Nolson’s disappearance.
If that happened, the territory’s residents here would have to live without a leader.
“A city without a lord cannot cope with external attacks or sudden situations. Even if enemies invade or monsters attack, it means people will have to only hope for help that won’t come. Since there’s no lord to approve documents and lead the city’s development, from today this place becomes a stagnant city. Even if not right now, thinking of the future, this peace can never be for their sake.”
“But is destroying the city really for the territory’s residents? They’ll lose their homes and have nowhere to go?”
“Of course it is. Even if we don’t step forward, Father will definitely actively engage in this matter.”
*Swoosh—*
Jake closed the window and drew the curtains. The room that had been flooded with sunlight became dark in an instant.
“Other than using it to frame me, this place has no value at all. But don’t you think it’s excessive that he tried to install and detonate bombs for something that could have been resolved just by releasing demon tribe members?”
Baron Nolson ran away without installing the bombs, but the Duke had clearly ordered the Baron to release demon tribe members and even detonate bombs to cause a rampage. Even though demon tribe members alone would be enough to turn this place into ruins.
The Duke was wasteful enough to freely consume precious mana stones on crystal communication spheres, but that didn’t mean he enjoyed pointless spending.
“Father had another reason to blow up this place. For instance, he didn’t want someone to dig around here.”
“So the Duke’s original goal was to completely destroy the city and scatter demon tribe members’ demonic energy over it to make investigation difficult?”
“Exactly. That way he could completely bury the existence of the black sphere, couldn’t he?”
Although he didn’t know what the black sphere was, it was certain it had been researched here. Of course, the possibility of research traces remaining was extremely slim. Baron Nolson would have already taken away what was truly important. That way the Duke wouldn’t be able to kill him carelessly.
Since Klad said there was nothing particularly noticeable even after investigating the lord’s castle once, it was safe to say there was nothing left here.
But… would the Duke think the same?
“Even if it was going to be destroyed anyway, there’s a big difference between destroying it with one’s own hands and having someone else destroy it. Father intended to smash this place to smithereens so nothing could be found, but my plan is different. We will destroy this place ‘moderately.'”
“Just enough to attract attention from the capital.”
Klad chimed in with a tone mixed with laughter, as if he’d caught onto Jake’s thinking.
“I want to control the explosion to the extent that His Majesty the Emperor will send people to investigate. Is that possible, Klad?”
“That much is easy.”
Perhaps something might remain in the exploded lord’s castle. Perhaps his shameful secrets might be revealed. Thinking of the Duke who wouldn’t be able to sleep at night from such worries, his mana control seemed like it would become twice as delicate as usual.
“When His Majesty the Emperor tries to send an investigation team, Father will step forward saying the ducal family will directly confirm this matter to prevent it. He’ll say he’ll take responsibility for recommending Baron Nolson.”
“Since it’s something he stepped forward for in the ducal family’s name, he can’t be negligent.”
“Moreover, since he has the goal of becoming a hero, he’ll do his best in this matter for his reputation. Until a new lord is appointed, he’ll spare no support and actively help with the city’s restoration and development. So for this city and the territory’s residents here, this method is the best.”
“If we’re lucky, we might find the secret of the sphere when blowing up the castle, and we can dig traps and wait for when the Duke comes running in surprise.”
What if they turned around the Duke’s plan to destroy the city and pin the crime on Jake? The rumor spread in this place was that demon tribe members were gathering because of the hero, not that the lord’s castle would explode. When people were anxious, if Jake stepped forward and pinned it on Baron Nolson, he could completely flip the situation.
‘Baron Nolson blew up the castle and attempted to flee, but failed and secretly returned to try again.’ By the time this rumor reached the capital, it would have changed to ‘Baron Nolson hid something in the lord’s castle that needed to be eliminated.’
It was a good method to provoke the Emperor’s suspicion and make the Duke restless.
“In the meantime, we can go to the village and eliminate the sandworm. How about it, Klad?”
“It’s a good method where we can screw over the Duke, save the city and village, and even dig traps. I like it.”
When Klad also seemed to like this plan, Jake’s face brightened.
“It’s also a method that could never have been executed without you.”
This plan was something he’d thought of by remembering that Klad, who came to rescue him, had blown up one wall of the lord’s castle. Moreover, at that time, Klad had even cast protection magic on the wall so the exploding debris wouldn’t fly and cause damage to the surroundings before detonating it. Since Klad’s abilities were more outstanding than what he’d known, there were no limitations in making plans.
So this is what a life without visible limits is like. Jake was so moved he could cry.
Of course, since heroes don’t cry, he didn’t shed tears.
“Well then, shall we go before it gets too late?”
Klad placed his hand on Jake’s back and infused a stamina recovery spell. Vitality was added to Jake’s muscles, which had been throbbing and tired from continuously swinging his sword, and his body became lighter.
Jake headed to the lord’s castle with Klad, forgetting his fatigue.
The area around the lord’s castle was quiet.
The atmosphere was already ominous, and the place that should have been safest in the city had even exploded, so people were reluctant to come near this area from fear of what else might happen.
It was fortunate for Jake and Klad.
“Let’s go in.”
Perhaps because there was no lord to give orders, the two soldiers who had been standing guard at the entrance even on the day Baron Nolson fled were nowhere to be seen. Thanks to that, instead of being held in Klad’s arms to climb over the wall, Jake could open the door and enter boldly inside.
“Klad. Before we blow it up, how about checking one last time if there’s anything suspicious here?”
“Okay.”
When Jake came forward this actively, he couldn’t just brush it off carelessly. Klad knelt on one knee and placed his hand on the lord’s castle hall floor. And he infused mana below it.
“Oh…!”
Jake, who normally wouldn’t have felt anything, felt his left fingertips tingle. It was a sensation similar to when he first became able to sense demonic energy.
But that was part of the ability the Lord God had gifted him. There was no way Jake, who was an ordinary person and not a hero, could detect demonic energy.
Then…
‘Hmm.’
Jake stared intently at Klad pouring mana into the floor.
‘Perhaps I’m reacting to that.’
Perhaps he’d become able to sense mana like an ordinary person who handles swords.
Even though the level was still faint, just about the strength of one mana, if he trained repeatedly, wouldn’t he someday be able to sense and handle mana?
Just as Jake was about to spread his hand to confirm it, Klad, who had finished inspecting the castle interior, spoke first.
“There’s nothing. I’m destroying it now.”
“Good. What should I be doing?”
“It’s dangerous if you go outside the protection spell range for no reason, so stick close to me.”
Jake stood close by Klad’s side.
Klad slowly extended his hand toward the high ceiling.
Thinking he might be able to feel the movement of mana bursting from Klad’s hand, Jake stared at that hand without even blinking.
*Rummmmmble—*
Even though the entire building shook strongly, where Jake stood was calm as if nothing was happening.
*CRASH—*
*BOOOM!*
*Rummmmmmmmble—!*
And the lord’s castle began to collapse.
“The ceiling’s falling, be careful.”
At those words, Jake moved a bit closer to Klad.
‘Klad. He looks somewhat happy.’
Was making Father uncomfortable that joyful? He became curious about how Klad came to have such deep resentment toward the House of Duke West.
*Crash, bang—!*
The ceiling was torn away and through the gap, sunlight poured down, illuminating the inside of the castle. Giant piles of stones fell heavily and stacked up neatly on the cracked and broken marble floor.
*Crack.*
‘Huh?’
Something bounced up between the piles of stones and fell at Jake’s left foot.
‘What’s this?’
Jake bent down and picked it up.
A fragment of something emitting a mysterious light.
