Chapter 119

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 119

Chapter Title: We Missed

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Bang!

Ishak kicked the table and muttered through gritted teeth.

"Useless bastard."

Henri, sitting on the sofa opposite with his eyes gently closed, pressed his temple and spoke.

"Shut up. Sit down."

"We missed Trigon! If we let that bastard slip away here...!"

"The key is who took him."

Ishak raked back his hair with a grimace.

Yohan, seated at the head of the table, stared intently at the communication stone.

"The temple?"

Ishak narrowed his brows.

"Others besides the temple?"

"Father."

As Yohan muttered, the man on the communication stone confirmed it with silence.

Ishak asked.

"What about the others?"

"Camilla the Great Madam's lackeys."

Henri muttered, and Ishak scowled.

"Then what about the last two?"

"...That's the issue."

Yohan fiddled with the communication stone and spoke in a low voice.

"Assemble the Shadow Army. Locate Trigon by any means. I won't forgive a second failure."

The moment the communication cut off, Ishak flopped onto the sofa and propped his chin.

"If Father's giving orders, it's Illy's vice-captain. A pro who slipped past both Illy's deputy and big brother's direct unit captain without a trace. Just who the hell is this guy?"

"Beats me. But one thing's for sure—things are about to get fun."

"......"

They could no longer afford to stay hidden to guard their family's reverse scale.

The three brothers' gazes darkened deeply.

At that moment, at the Hof Merchant House.

Celia's face hardened as she opened the massive senderless box delivered to the office.

"My god."

Inside, Trigon wriggled, bound head to toe with a blindfold and earplugs.

"I was worried when our assassins failed, but here the target's delivered right to my office."

The chairman nodded at her words.

A note lay in the box.

As she read the letter, the words glowed red and burned away. The chairman snickered at the ashes.

"It's the little one."

"What now?"

"Follow orders."

The chairman removed Trigon's earplugs and mouth gag.

"Wh-what is this! Do you know who I—!"

"Wail Andermi. Distant kin to the late chief court mage Aragon."

"......!"

The mage's pupils constricted.

'How...'

"Not just coasting on the late master's influence like the rumors say. You even alter your appearance perfectly to play the dead son while you sleep."

"How did you know...! N-no, what nonsense is this!"

Celia chuckled softly.

"A man bold enough to deceive even His Imperial Majesty can't rattle that easily."

"What... what do you mean...? I-I'm...!"

The chairman asked.

"Did you kill Trigon?"

"No! That's not—"

Trigon—no, Wail's face drained to a sickly blue.

"Don't tell Father. He has a heart condition. If he learns Trigon is dead, he'll...!"

It was true Wail hadn't killed Trigon.

Aragon, the late court mage, had taken in the talented boy from a poor family who could never have pursued magic otherwise.

Wail had lived like brothers with Trigon and cherished Aragon like true parents.

Unlike his birth parents, who knew his magical talent and tried to sell him to the temple as an experiment subject.

People called Aragon a money-mad cranky old coot, but to Wail, he was someone whose lifetime of gratitude could never repay the favor.

Trigon died ten years ago. He'd pushed a dangerous "experiment," and his body rotted from it.

Sensing death, Trigon entrusted his father to Wail.

Aragon showed early dementia signs atop his heart disease.

Only one child. Relatives were parasites who'd devour the house if Trigon died.

Wail couldn't betray the plea. He faked Trigon's death as his own, Wail Andermi's.

It was suicide in a way, but life as Trigon was bliss.

Filled daily with love he'd never known from parents.

He knew exposure meant dismemberment, but given the choice, Wail would pick life as Trigon again.

He had one wish.

Become the "reject" Father joked about, found the Aragon Foundation for the poor and powerless—his dream.

But in Leblain's first life, Wail's secret was exposed. He lost his head on the guillotine.

Afterward, deep in dementia, Aragon lost everything to relatives as Trigon feared, wandered streets, and starved.

"Please..."

Wail clung to the chairman's leg, begging.

Celia and the chairman exchanged glances.

Celia knelt on one knee, gazing steadily at Wail.

"If you don't want it exposed, obey us."

"...Blackmail?"

"What else?"

The chairman shook his head at Celia's sly grin.

'Master and servant take after each other.'

If Leblain saw this, she'd surely grin and say, "My top subordinate as expected!"

The soldier pleaded desperately as I rolled around in the jail cell.

"Please just go! Please! You were released after Trigon testified it was a defensive spell—why are you doing this?!"

The soldier was nearly in tears.

"I'm full and digesting before I leave."

"Please!"

"Fine, fine."

I stretched grandly and shuffled out of the bars.

'Felt like a vacation. Shame.'

Headaches awaited outside.

Thanks to Trigon's testimony, as the soldier said, and Duke Duvered's relentless backing, I was freed.

'Still, back-and-forth investigations from home.'

I trudged out of the jail with a weary face. Family and my guards waited outside.

"Leblain."

"Squirt!"

Henri and Ishak rushed to me. Ishak spun me around, checking my state.

"Damn it! The kid's half-skinny!"

He grabbed my plump, well-fed cheeks and scowled.

"Your face is hollow!"

As if.

"I ate four meals a day?"

"Only four? She normally has six!"

The family glared as one at the frozen jail warden.

"N-no, four meals, but always two bowls each!"

"Two bowls? She does three normally?!"

The bread was bigger than the mansion's, and the bowls huge—two satisfied me.

I tugged Ishak, who looked ready to pounce on the warden.

"Wanna go home."

"Yeah. Let's rest."

The three maids sniffled.

"Sheets are fresh."

"Hot stones in the bedding."

"Snacks galore!"

I'd eaten and slept great—why the pity?

Anyway, I nodded "Okay" and followed family out of the palace.

At the mansion, socialites I'd met sent piles of letters upon hearing my release.

"So many?"

Normally, jailed folk get shunned.

When I took Mina's attempted murder rap before, I was treated like vermin.

"You're the hero who blocked the palace curse with your tiny body."

Henri's words made me tilt my head.

"Not really?"

I protected family, not the palace.

No intent to save it from curses.

"Twist the narrative a bit, and public opinion flips easy."

"Aha, Henri's handiwork."

Ishak laughed, "Little bro's specialty is dirty tricks!" and got smacked by Henri.

'Classic Henri. No need for me. Easy!'

Grinning, Aunt sat me on the bed.

"Rest easy today, no thinking. We'll hear details later. We've got the mess covered."

Protected. I mumbled shyly, "Yes..."

Pity filled family and staff eyes.

'I really was fine...'

Dad tucked me in; family stayed till I slept.

Once my breaths deepened, they left.

I snapped eyes open, fumbling under the bed.

'Communication stone... here!'

Grabbed it, contacted Celia.

"How'd it go?"

"Good. Anything else?"

"Perfect. Time to drop the bomb."

After the stone's glow faded, I gazed out the window.

I'd thrived in jail, but Duke Ballua wouldn't.

'Rip him apart.'

"Hey."

The demon, hidden nearby, materialized at my voice.

"Another foolish task? (What do you plan to make me do this time?)"

"......?"

"What! Why that look? (What's with those eyes?)"

Never heard him speak directly before—fangs like a beast's poked his lips, lisping badly...

"Eh, understandable is enough."

"My fangs are a mark of dignity! (Symbol of majesty!)"

"Sure, sure. Wanna swing by the palace?"

"...Why? (Why?)"

"Go wreck it a bit."

I smiled brightly; he blinked.

"Why? (Why?)"

"So the palace lights up hunting you."

An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.

Slapped my cheek? Knock out their teeth.

They tried pinning treason on me—time to return the favor.