Episode 27
“Have you heard the plan?”
“Yes. Should I observe that brat, Christian, the young master?”
“Exactly. Watch how he behaves before the Rite of the Holy Ebony.”
“Understood. I’ll follow your orders.”
The man bowed respectfully, then suddenly grinned mischievously, as if struck by a playful idea.
“Ah, while I’m at it, may I play a little prank?”
“A prank? What kind?”
“Just observing feels dull. For a proper evaluation, I thought a little test might be in order.”
Nogaju frowned.
“No excessive mischief.”
Meaning a little was acceptable.
The man’s lips curled into a sly smile before he melted back into the shadows, vanishing without a trace.
Merian let out a low sigh.
“Christian… I can only hope he pulls this off.”
The Kazar Count’s estate.
Christian was preparing to set out on the ebony hunt.
“To get the ebony, I need to be ready.”
This time, he planned not only to prove his worth but to claim the ebony as his own.
Of course, some might find it odd.
The ebony already had an owner.
“Then I’ll just steal it.”
Christian whistled softly, thinking it through.
“Besides, this batch is assigned to that Roine guy who opposed me. Perfect. I’ll kill two birds with one stone.”
Roine was Christian’s rival in the Rite of the Holy Ebony and the one who had swayed public opinion to keep Christian out.
Snatching the ebony meant for Roine would be a sweet revenge.
“To pull off a perfect crime, preparation is key.”
Christian headed toward the castle.
His destination was clear: the mansion of Grantel, the merchant lord who had recently stolen the holy sword Grunade.
“Y-Young master! Welcome!”
Grantel greeted Christian, his face pale.
“Ah, it’s been a while.”
“W-What brings you here?”
“You don’t look too pleased to see me. Don’t like my visit?”
Grantel ground his teeth inwardly.
“Good. You deserve it, you bastard.”
Though he cursed silently, his outward expression remained a servile smile.
“Not at all! It’s an honor to see you again, young master. I’m just overwhelmed by the honor.”
“Hmm.”
“P-Please, come in! Someone, bring out the feast! It’s not much, but allow me the honor of hosting you.”
Christian didn’t refuse.
Soon, lavish dishes appeared—delicacies rivaling those of the Kazar estate.
“Is it to your taste?”
“Yes, quite good.”
The mood lightened, and Grantel subtly signaled his men.
They left briefly and returned with a silk pouch.
“Something for you.”
“It’s a token of my respect, young master.”
Opening it revealed a golden cat figurine—a bribe.
“Of course, he’s here to extort money again. That bastard.”
Grantel swallowed his tears but tried to think positively.
Nothing in this world is free.
If he accepted the bribe, he’d have to repay it somehow.
“A dirty connection, but maybe an opportunity. If the bloodline of the Dark Maga supports me, I’ll rise to the top.”
Grantel bowed deeply, wearing the most groveling expression he could muster.
“Hehe, please accept it. It’s nothing special.”
“Hmm, nothing special, huh.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Is this the best gift you can offer? I’m disappointed.”
Clang!
Christian dropped the pouch to the floor.
The atmosphere instantly turned icy.
Grantel hurriedly bowed.
“I-I’m sorry! I only meant to show my respect… It seems it didn’t please you.”
“That bastard! Complaining about a gift! Powerless fools are the worst.” Christian crossed his arms.
“A gift like this shows you don’t understand your own position.”
“W-What do you mean?”
“I looked into you after the last incident. You’re involved in all sorts of illegal dealings.”
“…T-That’s…”
“Of course, some bending of the rules is expected in business. I get it. If you called out every little thing, no merchant would survive. But…”
Christian smiled coldly.
“There’s a limit. You’ve crossed the line more than once. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
Grantel swallowed hard.
He was a corrupt merchant, no doubt.
Not a murderer or anything that terrible, but he’d done plenty of shady things—some that must never see the light of day.
Christian tapped his shoulder with a finger.
“Greed only brings trouble.”
“I-I’m sorry. P-Please have mercy…”
Grantel trembled.
Christian chuckled.
“But since there was that last incident, I’ll make an exception. I’ll give you a deadline to clean up all your illegal affairs. And you must fully compensate anyone you’ve wronged.”
Compensation.
Grantel’s face went pale.
He’d have to drain his merchant guild’s coffers again.
Still, it was a mercy.
He bowed frantically.
“T-Thank you!”
“There’s one more condition.”
Christian stated his demand.
“Bring me the Huetan.”
“!!”
“You have three days.”
Grantel’s complexion turned ghostly.
Huetan.
A rare elixir extracted from the body of the Karazov beast.
“It’s basically the same ingredient as ebony.”
If processed with a special method involving distillation, Karazov yields the pure elixir that becomes ebony.
Without that method, killing a Karazov produces a counterfeit elixir called Huetan.
Christian planned to use this fake elixir to swap out the real ebony.
“B-But… that’s…”
Grantel looked utterly distressed.
“Huetan… isn’t easy to get…”
Christian had called it fake, but Huetan was still incredibly rare.
“I hear you have connections to the black market auction?”
“!!”
“Deal directly with them.”
“B-But direct deals for auction items mean sky-high prices…”
“That’s your problem. Why should I care about your wallet?”
Christian said dismissively.
“Seems you don’t need much help. Fine, forget what I said earlier. You’ll pay for your crimes.”
Christian was threatening him.
If Grantel failed to bring the Huetan, Christian would expose all his illegal dealings and ruin his guild.
“N-No! Please!”
Grantel clung desperately to Christian.
“Damn you! You devil!”
Tears welled up, but he had no choice.
He’d have to raid the guild’s funds again to get the Huetan.
“I’ll get the Huetan you asked for, no matter what.”
“Three days.”
Grantel’s face drained of color.
An impossibly short deadline.
But he had no choice but to bow.
“Y-Yes. I’ll deliver it within three days.”
“Oh, and bring me a small dagger, too. Sharp enough to cut through armor.”
A dagger capable of slicing armor.
It would be a rare and expensive weapon, but Grantel dared not complain.
Christian looked satisfied.
“I’ll be waiting. Oh, and one last thing.”
“Y-Yes?”
“From now on, behave yourself.”
“!!”
Christian smiled.
“That way, you won’t have to meet another righteous avenger like me.”
After leaving Grantel’s mansion, Christian stopped by the bustling market to buy various odd items.
[Young master… why these things?]
“For a purpose.”
[…You mean the aphrodisiac?]
“……”
Christian fell silent.
An aphrodisiac.
A blessing for men who bow their heads before their wives every night.
[Oh ho ho… young master… is it already?]
“No, it’s not!”
[It’s okay… I understand… oh ho ho.]
The shopkeeper looked curious.
Christian cleared his throat.
“It’s not for me. I have another use.”
[Then… for the count?]
“…Yeah. I’m a dutiful son. Father’s getting old; I need to take care of him. He seems troubled.”
Christian turned the poor Kazar Count into a man who bowed his head to aphrodisiacs, all to keep his secret safe.
“Don’t tell anyone I bought aphrodisiacs for the count’s honor.”
“Yes, I’ll keep it secret!”
The shopkeeper nodded resolutely.
After buying a few more things, Christian locked himself in his room.
A few days later.
“Done.”
Christian grinned.
A clear liquid sloshed inside the glass beaker in his hand.
A secret weapon made by mixing aphrodisiacs with various reagents.
Just as Grantel returned with the Huetan, Christian finished his preparations.
He went downstairs to the stables.
The horses were ready.
Time to depart.
“I’m off.”
The Kazar Count nodded.
Then he looked Christian straight in the eyes.
“Make sure you give them a good hit.”
He added one more thing.
“You’re my proud son.”
Christian’s lips curled upward.
He wasn’t the count’s real son.
But he didn’t dislike the man.
If his real father had even a fraction of the count’s qualities, his past life and fate would have been very different.
“Wait for me.”
That’s what Christian said.
“I’ll come back with news that will make Father proud.”
This time, it was Tern.
“…Brother.”
“Address me properly.”
“…My respected King Emperor Majesty, Brother.”
Tern clenched his fists in frustration.
Chris chuckled softly and said, “Take good care of Father while I’m gone.”
“!!”
For some reason, Tern sealed his lips tightly.
A flicker of complicated feelings passed through him, and then he spoke.
“…When you return, please duel me.”
“Hmm? Didn’t we just do that? I think you got your butt kicked last time.”
“Not that! I mean a proper duel!”
Tern huffed determinedly.
“I will definitely defeat you.”
“Alright. Well, if getting beaten up again is your wish…”
“Brother!!”
Chris chuckled again and extended his fist toward Tern.
“I’ll be back.”
Tern hesitated for a moment at the offered fist, then smirked and bumped his own fist against it.
“I heard hunting ebony is dangerous. Be careful not to get hurt.”
“Is that… concern?”
“No, it’s just because I’m worried you won’t be able to give me a proper duel!”
“Right. So you want me to come back in one piece just so you can beat me properly? Never thought you had that kind of taste…”
“Ah, come on!”