Chapter 200 Just A Little Intimidation
"――Fiona! Everyone!"
As we stepped into Kirke's grounds through the main gate, I gazed at the devastated garden and the crumbling buildings, following Garon's lead towards the mansion.
As we entered the still-intact wing of the mansion, Lady Eva rushed out from the inner rooms, her eyes shining with tears, and flung herself into Fiona's arms.
"Eva! You're safe!"
"Fiona, you too... are you safe?"
Lady Eva asked, tilting her head as she looked at Fiona's outfit.
Well, Fiona had all the buttons on her coat fastened, but her attire was different from usual, and she wasn't even equipped with her dual swords. Something must have happened.
Who would have thought that under her coat, she was only wearing her undergarments?
...Or maybe Lady Eva sensed something from the way Fiona hugged her back. Her face was telling.
"I'm fine, no injuries. ...I saw the state of the mansion on my way here, it was quite bad, the attack was severe."
"This is still better, though. If Garon and the others hadn't come, the damage would have been much worse."
"Ah, Lady Eva, sorry to rain on the emotional reunion, but..."
"Oh, Mr. Aaron?"
I called out to Lady Eva, trying to get to the purpose of my visit.
After all, one of the reasons I came here was because Fiona was worried about Lady Eva, but there were 2 more reasons. One of them was...
"Logan, come here."
"Yeah."
"――What!? Logan!?"
Lady Eva's expression revealed her surprise at the sight of Logan, who had just appeared. However, it wasn't a relief that a familiar face had returned safely, but rather a cautious expression.
That's only natural. The voice that echoed throughout Necronia right before the Stampede was something Lady Eva must have heard as well.
But I opened my mouth to calm down the shocked Lady Eva.
"Lady Eva, Logan is a prisoner right now. He's not a threat for the time being. And I have a favor to ask of you, though..."
"What is it, exactly?"
"Well, would you mind taking custody of Logan and the person he's with?"
Logan and Noah.
They're members of the secret society Chronosphere, and the two of them know the whole story.
We need to extract various information from them and hear about the secret society, but it can't be done right now. We'll have to wait at least a few days until the Stampede is completely over, the chaos dies down, and we can have a calm discussion.
Until then, I was wondering if Lady Eva could take custody of them.
To be honest, I don't trust the [Four Great Families of the Seals], but Lady Eva is different. Since Lady Eva went against her family's wishes to help us, I thought she would take custody of Logan and the others without causing any unnecessary trouble.
"That's...alright, but wouldn't it be safer to have Mr. Aaron's group take care of them instead?"
"Well... it's obvious, but these two are 'Stampede's masterminds', and both are way too strong. I can't just leave them in my house in the city or the Clan's workshop, right? It's just too risky in case something happens.
If we make a mistake and end up fighting Logan and Noah, the collateral damage would be huge. I mean, if we implant an Anti-Magic Ring, we could neutralize them, but even thinking about the worst-case scenario, it's still risky to keep them in the city.
That's why the Fourth House has literal secret underground prisons and stuff.
But Lady Eva seemed to have a different idea.
"Then, why don't we ask the Guild for help?"
Well, that's not a bad idea.
The Guild could easily prepare a place to hold them and people to keep an eye on them. It's not like Lady Eva's suggestion is unreasonable. However...
I shook my head in response.
"The Guildmaster is the Fourth House's lapdog. There's a chance they might hand Logan and the others over to the authorities, and I can't trust them."
Even if... or rather, even if I threatened him and borrowed the Scout Unit, it wouldn't work. He's just old men, and I can't trust him. Even if I could trust him, it's still safer to have the Fourth House hold them captive.
"Ah... I don't mind cooperating, but... even as the next heir, Kirke is still under my father's control. If my father intervenes forcefully, I'm sorry, but I can't resist him right now..."
Lady Eva said, looking apologetic.
Well, that's how it is. I knew that too. That's why I came here to settle another matter.
"Then, introduce me to the head of the Kirke household. Let's have a talk."
"Umm... just to confirm, what do you plan to do?"
"Just a little intimidation."
"......"
I said with a faint smile, and Lady Eva looked like she was about to faint.
The [Four Great Families of the Seals] might not have been the ones who started the stampede. But it's a fact that the mastermind behind the stampede was someone from the 4 families. And now, I have Logan as a witness.
Originally, I was going to get solid evidence by conquering the labyrinth and then question the 4 families. But now, I don't need to do that.
I have 2 solid witnesses, after all.
"I won't let them get away with this anymore."
I'll make Logan and the others tell me everything they know.
If they refuse, it's war between me and the 4 families.
"......!!"
Lady Eva gulped, and then,
"I understand."
She nodded with a resolute expression.
"Then, with Logan and... that person..."
Lady Eva looked at Noah, who was being carried by Logan, and then tilted her head.
"Wait... who is that?"
"My lady."
Noah was being carried in a prone position, so Lady Eva couldn't see his face. Logan slightly adjusted his position to show Noah's face to Lady Eva.
"......!!"
In that instant, Lady Eva's eyes went wide open.
"Dear Brother...!?"
Those words shocked not only Lady Eva but also us, who were listening around her.
Since they had the same hair and eye color, I thought they might be relatives, but I never expected Lady Eva's brother to be him.
"Alive... no, more than that!!"
Lady Eva looked up at Logan with a serious gaze, as if to confirm.
"Is my brother... a person from the enemy side?"
It was said that we should take care of him in this unconscious state. It was easy to figure out what kind of position Noah was in.
"Yes, Lady Eva... that's right."
Logan also nodded without hiding anything.
"Yes... I see... Just like how Father and the others were hiding something from me..."
Lady Eva closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, she didn't show any signs of disturbance, and turned to face us.
"Mr. Aaron, by the way, the heads of Aron and Gridavor are currently visiting us. If you're going to talk to the 4 families, it would be better to discuss it with both of them as well. ...Would you like to meet them?"
"Ah, okay."
"Then... please come with me. Father and the others are outside."
Lady Eva nodded, and from the entrance hall where we had entered, she led us out of the mansion.
And...
"Hahahahahaa!!!! You're called ≪Extreme Sword≫ and you've gotten too full of yourself!! Surrounded by this many people, you're in a pinch!! No matter how strong you say you are, you're still just a being who can't use Space magic!! If you're not one of the Four Great Families of the Seals, you're nothing!! Don't think you can mess with Isaac Kirke, the head of the Four Great Families of the Seals, and still live in Necronia!! If you don't want to die, shut your mouth about everything you've seen today, and get out of here with Logan!!
Inside Kirke's estate.
In a corner of the garden where the dead from both sides have gathered, I'm surrounded by a large group of Space magic users who appeared through teleportation magic.
Let me explain how this happened in order.
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