Episode 15

“Is it true that you were hired to slander the main family?”

“Y-yes, that’s correct.”

“!!”

As Cox spoke the truth under the binding seal, everyone’s eyes widened in shock.

The Count of Kazar was especially stunned.

To think the person he trusted most had been plotting against his own son.

“Why did you do it?”

“W-well… I… aaargh! I was ordered to.”

Cox struggled desperately to resist the curse but ended up screaming out the truth.

“Ordered?”

“Y-yes… ugh… there was someone who knew about the wrongs I committed against the Kazar family and threatened me. That person commanded me to ruin the young master. Ever since he was a child, from long ago.”

Each word hit like a bombshell.

So Cox had been committing various misdeeds against the Kazar family all this time, and there was someone who had hired him to destroy Christian?

“If you’re talking about your misdeeds, you mean the embezzlement you’ve been committing for years.”

“…Y-yes.”

That was already known.

But the most important truth remained.

“Who was it?”

“!!”

“Who gave you that order?”

The butler Cox trembled violently.

“P-please… if I say this… I’m… aaargh!!”

He tried to refuse, but it was no use.

“Speak. Now.”

With that command, Cox’s mouth opened.

“…It was Lord Eshed.”

“…What?”

In that instant, Christian froze.

No, it wasn’t just him.

Everyone in the hall froze—more precisely, they turned pale.

That name was that shocking.

“Lord Eshed de Barron, the heir of the Dark Maga main family.”

---

The hall fell into silence.

Eshed de Barron.

Everyone here knew that name.

The greatest prodigy among the next generation of the Dark Maga.

Among the five princes vying for succession, he was the closest to becoming the ‘Grand Prince.’

And such a formidable figure had ordered Christian’s ruin?

‘Impossible.’

But this was the truth forced out by the binding seal.

It wasn’t a lie.

Cox collapsed to the floor, his face vacant.

“L-Lord Eshed is terrifying… I… I’m sure he’ll kill me now…”

His expression was one of utter terror.

People realized again.

This was no lie. It was real.

But why?

“Lord Eshed is incomparably greater than young master Christian.”

Comparing the two was like comparing the brilliant moon shining in the sky to a crumb on the ground.

Still, the reason didn’t matter.

‘What happens now?’

‘This will cause a huge ripple.’

The legitimate heir of the Dark Maga had slandered Christian, and the truth was now revealed to all.

The one in trouble here wasn’t Eshed, but the Kazar family.

The Kazar family was just a branch line, while Eshed was the most likely heir to lead the main family.

If their relationship broke down, it would be the Kazar family that would suffer bloodshed.

‘What will the Count do?’

It was a difficult situation either way.

Then, a sound broke the silence.

Step by step.

Christian moved forward.

Towards the butler Cox, who was still sitting on the floor.

All eyes turned to Christian, and what happened next was shocking.

Slash!

Christian raised his sword and struck Cox’s neck.

It happened so fast no one could react.

Blood splattered, and Cox’s severed head fell to the floor.

Christian, soaked in blood, looked back at his father.

“By the Count’s authority, I have punished the criminal.”

“…….”

A heavy silence fell.

The few quick-witted people realized why Christian had suddenly beheaded Cox.

But no one dared speak, all eyes fixed on the Count and Christian.

Finally, the Count sighed deeply.

“…Let’s talk privately, my son.”

---

Christian followed the Count to his study.

Once alone, the Count let out a long sigh.

“Sit down. Would you like something to drink?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Right, this isn’t a time to relax.”

The Count looked at Christian.

“Today’s events… and even your recent return to your reckless ways—was all of this your plan?”

“Yes, that’s correct. I suspected Cox was suspicious, so I deliberately left a gap to trap him. I apologize for not telling you in advance.”

“…No, no.”

The Count shook his head.

No need to apologize.

You’ve done something great.

If it weren’t for Christian, they might never have uncovered the butler’s true nature.

“Here, I’ve compiled what I could investigate about the embezzlement Cox committed. It was very meticulous.”

The documents were obtained with the help of Banshee, his maid.

Banshee had lived in the Count’s mansion for a long time like a ghost. She was never suspected and secretly stole the budget ledgers Cox managed every night.

Christian skimmed the ledgers, found irregularities, and used Tern, who had authority as the heir, to verify suspicious parts.

“…Impressive.”

The Count admired the documents Christian handed him.

As Christian said, Cox had embezzled very cleverly, fooling even the Count and others.

But Christian had uncovered it all.

“When did you study accounting like this?”

“I never did. I just glanced over it and figured it out. As you know, I’m a genius.”

The Count chuckled bitterly.

‘A genius? This is beyond that.’

How far did his son intend to surprise him?

Looking up, he saw Christian standing tall and confident.

It was real. His son had truly changed from a reckless youth.

Not only that.

He had become a completely different person, accomplishing unbelievable feats.

Thinking that, a fierce anger welled up inside him.

‘How dare he try to slander my son! That damn Eshed brat!’

According to Cox, Eshed had even influenced Christian’s reckless behavior in childhood.

The root cause of ruining his son.

He could never forgive that.

“Why did you do it?”

“Huh?”

“Why did you cut Cox’s throat and cover this up? We’ve done nothing wrong.”

“Do you think I cut Cox’s throat to cover this up?”

“Isn’t that what it looks like? By killing Cox, the witness disappears, making it hard to accuse Eshed. Considering the Kazar family’s position as a branch, covering it up might be wise, but I don’t agree.”

The Count spoke with burning anger.

“How dare he do such a thing. I will never let Eshed get away with this.”

Christian was a little taken aback by the unexpected fury.

‘Is this his character? Or maybe it’s a natural reaction.’

The Count was originally a traditional Main Line Maga. He valued strength above all and despised underhanded tricks.

And as his actions so far showed, he cared about his son more than he let on.

“Don’t you realize it’s impossible to punish him?”

“Doesn’t matter. If it comes to that, I’ll declare independence and sever ties with the main family.”

The Count’s reckless words left Christian stunned.

It didn’t sound like an empty threat.

‘Severing ties isn’t an option. My primary goal is to take over the Dark Maga.’

“Please calm down, Father.”

“Calm down? After they slandered you like that?”

The Count raised his eyebrows and spoke harshly.

“I can never do that.”

“…….”

Beneath his anger was a deep denial.

Christian had sensed it before, but the Count, despite being a Maga, was a truly fatherly figure.

More so than his real father in his past life.

So Christian didn’t dislike the Count. In fact, he quite liked him.

‘It might be a stretch to call him my real father, but being close to him wouldn’t be so bad.’

Anyway, Christian spoke.

“I never said I would let this go.”

“But just now—”

“I cut Cox’s throat, yes. But do you think that was to cover this up? Absolutely not.”

Christian’s voice was firm.

“Quite the opposite. It was for revenge.”

“!!”

Christian twisted the corner of his mouth and continued.

“Let me ask you one thing. If Cox were still alive, how would this have played out?”

“…He’d be taken to the main family for investigation.”

“And what conclusion would have been reached? Could we have punished him?”

The Count couldn’t answer.

Christian changed the question.

“Is the current acting head of the Dark Maga, Marquis Langham, a fair and just man?”

The Count was silent for a moment.

“No, he isn’t. For the main family’s honor, he’d likely rule in Eshed’s favor.”

“But now that Cox is dead, what happens?”

Christian smiled.

“Even if they try to fabricate evidence to cover it up, they can’t. The only witness, Cox, is already dead.”

Keeping Cox alive would have been like leaving an official pardon.

Once taken to the main family, they could have forced him to change his testimony. Eshed would be acquitted honorably, and only the Kazar family’s position would be compromised.

“But now that he’s been killed, the situation has changed. That bastard Eshid can never wash away the dishonor of having tried to slander me.”

Of course, with the witness dead, they couldn’t formally charge him.

But countless people had heard Cox’s testimony—spoken under the binding seal, no less.

Eshid would forever carry the stain of having cruelly slandered a member of the collateral family.

“And that kind of dishonor will be a huge weakness for Eshid. Someone aiming for the head of the family who’s been caught slandering his own blood. Especially since the succession dispute isn’t over yet, Eshid will find himself in a far more difficult position than Father expects.”

Count Kazar’s eyes widened as he grasped the meaning behind Chris’s words.

“So you’re saying you want to use this incident as leverage to challenge Eshid’s claim to succession?”

“Exactly. That’s right.”

The count admired his son’s words.

It was the most practical and certain way to get revenge.

“Then who do we push as the heir? The first princess, next in line after Eshid?”

For reference, Eshid was the second prince.

“No.”

“Then the first prince? No, he’s a bloodthirsty madman.”

“Not him either.”

“Then who?”

“I will.”

“…What?”

Count Kazar blinked, unable to believe what he’d just heard.

“I mean I will become the successor of the Dark Maga myself.”