Your taste is (1)
A dark bedroom, hidden by curtains.
Oslo listened to Baba's report while drinking wine.
"So does that mean Millenia entered Eldern safely?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Now that they've secured Montpain, they'll be able to create a cure soon."
"I guess so."
"Shut up! How dare you show up in front of me after doing something like that!"
Oslo threw a wine glass at Baba. The glass flew straight into her injured shoulder and shattered into sharp shards.
"Even the little Duke found out that I was raising a private soldier?!"
The reason he mobilized his secretly raised private army was because of Baba's suggestion.
"It's hard to fill the raiding party with assassins. Why not use this opportunity to give the soldiers some real-world experience?"
Instead of gaining practical experience, everyone was annihilated. Baba was the only survivor.
Oslo drew his sword and aimed it at Baba's neck.
"What the hell are you? Are you a member of Kalit's family?"
Baba, who was prostrating himself on one knee, smiled broadly. He showed no sign of pain even though the bandage wrapped around his shoulder was turning red.
"Your Highness, why are you so excited? It's not like I have no income."
"Income?"
Oslo was inwardly trembling as he answered. He could not read Baba's true feelings hidden behind that strange smile.
"All the soldiers mobilized this time were new recruits. Now they will look down on Your Highness's strength."
"..."
A nobleman of the rank of Count or higher may have a private army of up to 300 men.
This was only properly observed in the capital, and not so well observed in the provincial fiefdoms. This was probably because the farther away from the capital one went, the more lax the imperial surveillance became.
On the other hand, areas with frequent monster attacks that have received the Emperor's approval do not have restrictions on the number of private soldiers.
Eldern was included here. This was also the reason why their finances were not so good.
Unlike the nobles, the imperial family was prohibited from having private armies. This was a measure to prevent treason.
However, Oslo was secretly raising a private army in the name of the nobles who supported him.
"We deployed nearly a hundred men, but we couldn't kidnap a single woman! And you want us to be satisfied with hiding our military power?"
The loss of soldiers was not a pity. It was easy to recruit private soldiers if you had money.
Ian notices the presence of the private, but it's not really a big deal. The privates knew that they were members of noble families. Even if Ian captured them, there would be nothing he could learn from them.
However, missing Millenia was not acceptable.
She's mine. Why does she keep trying to get away?
Oslo lifted Baba's chin with the tip of his sword.
"Tell me how to get her back."
"Now that she's entered Eldern, kidnapping is likely to be difficult."
"Even if we mobilize the guild's most powerful people?"
"Your Highness, there is more than just a little Duke in Eldern Castle."
Duke Eldern and Princess Armian, along with Marquis Astrod, were the main players in preventing the Great Rift 30 years ago.
Even though he was retired and old, the Duke was not someone to be ignored.
Even Tail Russ Eldern was already being mentioned as a candidate to be the next Knight Commander.
Although he was overshadowed by Ian's fame, it was clear that Tail was a man of considerable skill.
So does that mean he has no choice but to wait for Millenia to return to the capital and then try to persuade her again?
'The problem is Kalit...'
It would be troublesome if she returned to the capital and testified about what happened that day.
Of course, there is no evidence that Oslo did it, but the Marquis of Astrod was the problem.
If he abandons neutrality and sides with Kit, the current tight balance will tilt in Kalit's favor,
"If you had killed Kalit, you wouldn't have had to worry about this!"
"I must have told you clearly then. Choose between Young Lady and the First Prince."
"..."
It was Oslo's choice to leave Millenia in Baba's hands and send eight assassins to Kalit.
But it wasn't Oslo's fault. Who knew that it would be Master Chevio waiting for him in Kalit's bedroom instead of him?
Baba returned to the capital and dealt with the men captured by Chevio, but the problem was that Kalit had already known about the assassination plan. Oslo asked in a slightly depressed voice.
"You must have figured out how Kalite noticed, right?"
"Young Lady had already informed him in advance..."
"That's not it. She doesn't know about the plan itself."
"Then it must be the work of a rat cub."
As Baba spoke, he winked at his attendant, Halo, who was standing in a corner like a shadow.
Oslo snorted in disbelief.
"That idiot is a rat?"
"You secretly went into the First Prince's palace?"
The smile disappeared from Oslo's lips. Halo, who was startled, made a hasty excuse.
"I, I am not! How could I do such a thing! Your Highness, please believe me!"
Oslo approached Halo leisurely, sword in hand.
"It's you. You were the one telling my brother everything from the assassination plan to the kidnapping of Millenia. Right?"
"No. really, Your Highness! I really don't know anything about it!"
"Yeah, if it weren't for the information leaking out, there's no way it would fall like this every time... I realized it too late."
Oslo spoke affectionately and patted Halo's head. Halo's body began to tremble like an aspen tree.
"Thank you for your hard work, you little rat."
"I... Your Highness misunderstood everything. Ugh!"
Oslo's sword pierced Halo's chest in one stroke.
Boom!
Halo fell to the ground, his lifeless body slumped. Bright red blood slowly spread around him.
Oslo, who had been watching the scene with a blank expression, turned around.
Then he slowly thrust his sword into Baba's shoulder, which was already covered in blood.
"You should have reported it right away if you found the rat, Baba."
"..."
"If you keep doing this, I'll misunderstand."
"Please forgive me, Your Highness."
Baba smiled brightly and apologized.
He didn't even show any sign of pain, let alone fear.
'You creepy bastard!'
Oslo pulled out his sword, threw it away, and returned to sitting on the sofa.
"Leave Kalit alone for the time being. Continue to hide behind Chevio like a coward."
"What should I do about the Young Lady?"
Oslo hand-filled the new wine glass.
"When I was little, my mother gave me a bird as a gift."
"..."
"I liked it because its feathers were long and beautiful. I had a very pretty cage made to house it."
A meaningless smile appeared on Oslo's lips as he recalled those days.
"One day, the servant said that the bird was not eating and was sick. Not knowing why, I called an expert, and he said that if it couldn't fly, it would die, so if I wanted to save it, I should let it go."
"..."
"So I killed it."
It would be better to kill it with his own hands than to let go of what he likes. That would be better for the bird too. That's how Oslo has lived so far.
"That's why I like you so much, Your Highness. You're so much fun."
"Stop talking nonsense and do the right thing. If you fail this time, I'll consider our deal as if it never happened."
Baba greeted him like a clown and disappeared.
Oslo looked at the empty seat and called the attendant.
The attendant, who had paused at the sight of Halo's corpse, bowed his head deeply.
"Did you call, Your Highness?"
"Keep an eye on Baba. Something feels fishy."
"If he has disloyal intentions, how do you plan to deal with him?"
"We have to get rid of him. And bring Sierra."
"Are you referring to Miss Sierra Coelho?"
"Yeah. The more weapons the better."
"Understood, Your Highness."
Oslo, left alone, leisurely drank wine.
A dark red liquid stained his lips an ominous color.
***
That day, rumors began to spread that a servant had died in Oslo's palace.
Upon hearing the news, Kalit could sense Halo's death.
Kalit laid down the black knight, just before he defeated the white King and claimed victory.
"How did he know?"
"I heard that a certain person named Baba visited the Third Prince's palace. I think that's what tipped him off."
In response to the chamberlain's calm reply, Kalit tapped the chessboard with his fingertips.
Baba is the leader of the Assassin's Guild.
Was he watching Halo?
The image of Halo answering that it was okay even with a shocked face lingered in hia mind.
A sharp anger appeared in Kalit's eyes, fixed on the chess board, and then disappeared as if by magic.
"My brother has become bold."
In the past, Oslo would not have killed Halo because he was afraid of Kalit.
That meant Oslo had grown in strength.
"Recover Halo's body and deliver the condolence money to his family."
"I will do so. What should we do about the Third Prince's palace? Should we send another child in?"
"My brother must be really angry, so is there any need to give him something to eat? Let's just watch for the time being."
"I am concerned about Baba. He was rude to you not too long ago. I wonder if he is trying to do it again..."
The assassination attempt on Kalit has already failed, and they know that he has noticed. If he has any sense, Oslo will also hide for a while...
"Oslo's target is not me, but Millennia. If she returns to the capital, it will be Oslo that will be in trouble."
"...Now that I think about it, that makes sense. Even without evidence, Marquis Astrod won't stay still."
The royal family must protect their patrons.
But to Kalit, Millenia was nothing more than the culprit who had raised his half-brother to be so arrogant.
In that case, why wouldn't it be better to get rid of it by borrowing Oslo's hands?
"Your Highness, before being a Prince, you are a human. All humans deserve to be saved by a guardian."
Is that what I heard?
Kalit's fingertips, which had been tapping the chessboard steadily, stopped.
"I have to see my father-in-law."
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