Chapter 52

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Retaliation
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When a person with the ability to wield elements dies, that power scatters back into the world.

But there were those who could crystallize that power, which should have scattered, and contain it.

They were, of course, the heads of the families—the greatest of all who wielded elemental abilities.

“Now that I’ve dealt with the traitors involved in this incident.”

Diello’s gentle voice echoed through the bedroom.

He had insisted he could only feel at ease when I was in his sight, so he brought a portion of his work documents into the bedroom.

And, making the desk in his study seem pointless, he was handling his work right beside me.

“It would be best to return their source to where they came from.”

That was practically the same as cutting off the traitors’ heads and sending them back.

The actual time Diello had been in a full-blown outburst wasn’t long.

I was told that before I calmed him down, he had gathered all the Argenta servants and interrogated them for a mere twenty minutes.

But in that time, he had not only caught the trail of traitors the intelligence department had failed to uncover but had also beheaded seven of them.

Thanks to that, the atmosphere in the mansion was like walking on thin ice.

And it was made even worse by the fact that the aftereffects of his outburst still lingered.

I quietly observed him as he sat at the round table in the bedroom.

“To think the master would show… such a side of himself.”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen an emotional outburst in person.”

The servants were so terrified they even held their breath as they walked.

Perhaps the assessment of him as the “gentle Diello” would change quite a bit from now on.

That while he might seem composed normally, when his emotions erupted, he was an Argenta of fire who saw neither front nor back.

But with someone having gone so far as to unleash a poisonous mist right in front of me and Diello, leaving the traitors be would have also been a problem.

For now, he had only eliminated those involved in this incident, but it was time to weed out all the traitors on the third floor and below.

So, that part was fine, but…

“I just need to send these to Alloje and Cartiel, right?”

Diello held up the ‘Crystals of Power,’ which were the crystallized forms of the traitors’ elemental control.

The crystals, some transparent, others tinged with blue, were clearly stained with the dark red marks of interrogation.

Wait, what did he just say?

“Hold on.”

I barely managed to stop Diello just as he was about to send them as they were.

The usual Diello would never have even thought of sending the crystals, but things were different now.

Sending the Crystals of Power wasn't enough, he was going to send them stained with blood?

This man, still in the throes of his emotional outburst, was being seriously vicious!

“If you send them like this, both Duke Cartiel and Duke Alloje will become extremely wary of you.”

They must already be surprised by his unexpectedly strong reaction; we needed to keep them off guard until the very end.

At least, until the real Pero appeared and the succession of power began.

“Let’s wipe the blood off the crystals before we send them.”

To throw the Crystals of Power at them, still covered in blood, was essentially the same as desecrating a corpse before sending it.

Of course, one might wonder if we should care about such things when they had aimed for our lives, but it was necessary to instill in them the perception that ‘this is as far as Diello will go, no matter how angry he gets.’

That way, they would let their guard down.

“Croire.”

At my intervention, Diello turned to look at me.

He pressed his lips together firmly before continuing.

“I don’t think that will be enough to calm my anger.”

His voice was soft, but its content was not.

Neither were his eyes, which glinted coldly.

If I made him suppress his emotions any further, he might just erupt again.

“Then let’s do this.”

I said, taking the crystals from his hand.

The clattering feel of them in my palm was so unfamiliar it was almost chilling.

“If you want to send them like this, say that Croire Argenta sent them.”

It would be easier to explain that the villainess Croire had run rampant than for Diello to be the one doing this.

“…”

At my words, Diello furrowed his brow, as if he found something displeasing.

“We can’t have them getting wary of you, Diello.”

I placated him calmly.

At least if they were sent in my name, they wouldn't raise their guard against Diello.

I turned my gaze to Rick, who was standing before us.

He had a slightly reluctant expression on his face.

“These Crystals of Power, in my name—”

—Snatch.

Just then, Diello snatched the crystals from my hand.

“Send them in my name.”

He then commanded, just as I was about to stop him again.

He abruptly began to wipe the Crystals of Power. On a white handkerchief he’d produced from who knows where, the red stains began to disappear.

“I-I’ll wipe them, sir.”

Rick quickly took the crystals from his hand.

Diello turned back to me.

As if waiting for praise.

“This should do, right?”

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

* * *

[An unfortunate incident has occurred. It is a relief that it did not escalate into a major accident.

As you know, there were those in Cartiel who did not understand that the coexistence of the three families is the answer to bringing peace.

I thought we had eliminated them all, but it seems that was not the case.

I will take measures to ensure this does not happen again.]

A few days after Diello sent a letter demanding an explanation.

A reply came from Cartiel, the instigator of the poison incident.

A lot more was written after that, but it could be summarized as this:

So, some overzealous loyalists went rogue? Our apologies.

“…”

I came to the office curious about what kind of reply had arrived, but now I felt like I was staring at a ticking time bomb.

Diello raised a slight eyebrow.

The blue in his eyes, which had seemed to be calming down, was once again glinting ominously.

He still hadn't escaped the influence of his outburst.

“…It seems they want to handle this in a way that avoids any diplomatic issues.”

Despite that, Diello’s voice was calmer than I expected.

“I suppose so.”

Cartiel had also sent all sorts of valuables as a gesture of ‘sincerity.’

Of course, Diello had burned them the moment they arrived, but in any case, Cartiel had observed all diplomatic courtesies.

To press the matter more fiercely now would not only lead to long-term diplomatic friction with Cartiel, but it would also be a far cry from the image Diello Argenta had always projected.

“For now, I will handle this, Croire.”

Diello said to me, his voice soft again.

I nodded and carefully approached his desk.

“It’s fine for me to handle my work now.”

I also intended to take back my duties, which he had taken upon himself. Diello had been doing all of my work under the pretext that I was ill.

At this rate, I’d get a reputation as the lady of the house who just lazed around, using one illness as an excuse!

“No.”

But Diello was firm.

He slyly pulled the stack of documents that was my share of the work toward himself and said.

“Rest well until the end of this week. Nias also said that rest is important.”

Wasn’t it a week ago that I heard that rest was important?

But Diello showed no intention of giving them back.

As I tried to approach, he placed his index finger to his lips.

“Croire, please don’t take away my opportunity to work for you.”

His sweet, whisper-like words had the power to make even Pielle, who had delivered the letter, look away.

It would be strange to insist on taking the work back when he put it like that.

“…Then I’ll rest just for today.”

Starting tomorrow, they’re really mine!

When I spoke with a deliberately stern expression, Diello nodded as if he had no choice.

“Alright.”

Rest well for today.

With those words, Diello rose from his seat.

“Shall I escort you to the bedroom?”

I shook my head at his offer.

“It’s alright.”

I wasn’t so unwell that I needed to make a working person get up from their seat.

—Click.

As I left his office, I narrowed my eyes.

“Cartiel…”

You cunning bastards.

It was a good thing my water-wielding ability was strong; otherwise, I would have been a goner.

‘That poison is called Nightmare.’

The information I’d gotten from Nias about the poison was more chilling than I’d thought.

To die while only dreaming. And only nightmares at that.

He said that if my water-wielding ability hadn’t instinctively driven out the poison, I would have stopped breathing right then and there.

And yet, there was nothing that could be done diplomatically?

Was I supposed to just sit back and do nothing?

That didn’t sit right with me.

And the original Croire would have felt the same way.

“I can’t just take this lying down.”

Having arrived at my bedroom, I asked Pielle, who had entered with me.

“Can I give a personal order to the intelligence department?”