Do Your Own Revolution

#015

Clang-

It had been several hours since I boarded Elcidore’s transport train.

As I emerged through the iron door, the familiar Elcidore mansion was waiting for me.

The only difference from usual was that my arms were bound.

“Go this way.”

The place Ben and the members guided me to wasn’t the Knifehead station.

The place they took me was the interrogation room.

Who would have thought that after 2 years, I’d enter as a prisoner into the place where I used to bring prisoners?

The life of a 10-year-old kid sure is spectacularly messed up.

Sh*tty reincarnation difficulty for real.

The members seated me in a wooden chair and bound my arms.

Were they planning to torture me before questioning?

Anxiety crept in, but fortunately, that didn’t happen.

“Is this the one?”

“……!”

Just hearing the voice made my ears feel like they would freeze.

It wasn’t just a psychological feeling, but a sensation I could physically feel on my skin.

A chill that could cut through flesh.

When I raised my head, the source of that coldness was looking down at me.

“I am honored to meet you, Count.”

“Yes, it’s been a while.”

Lupeon Elcidore.

A member of the Empire’s 12 Great Magic Noble Houses, the head of House Elcidore.

One of the worst villains I was supposed to meet 5 years later spoke to me.

“I heard what you had to say through Ben. The Revolutionary Army is targeting me?”

The Knight Order Commander Burken, standing beside the Count, gave a nod.

It was a signal that I could answer.

“With utmost respect, that is correct, Count.”

“Nonsense.”

Along with the cold dismissal, the chill emanating from Lupeon’s body grew stronger.

“The Revolutionary Army within Belkers has been completely exterminated, and they have no rat holes to hide in here. Targeting me in this situation? It’s not even funny.”

The cold air circling the room began to constrict around me more tightly. When the Elcidore magic imprint embedded in my right arm detected his cold energy, pain like my blood vessels were being torn apart swept through my entire body.

“Kuh, kugh……!”

“Moreover, you were captured by the Revolutionary Army and lost contact. You should be dead by all rights. Did you think I would believe the words of someone like that?”

He doesn’t believe it.

Even if I possessed the protagonist’s body, my essence is that of a powerless civilian.

For someone like me to deceive this monster who ascended to the position of Count through suspicion and betrayal was impossible from the start.

‘But still…!’

However, that doesn’t mean there’s absolutely no way.

My only strength is information.

I knew things Lupeon didn’t know, and I knew things only Lupeon knew.

The difference in knowledge. The gap in information.

To survive against that monster, I had to utilize everything I had.

“If you have nothing more to say, we’re done. What a waste of time…….”

“The Revolutionary Army won’t appear at the victory celebration in a month.”

Just before the hand with the magic imprint was about to become necrotic.

Hearing my words, Lupeon temporarily halted his magical power operation.

“…What did you say?”

“The Imperial Intelligence Department’s operation failed. Their planted internal collaborator was discovered, and the Revolutionary Army withdrew.”

Hearing my words, Lupeon’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me.

He was startled when the words ‘victory celebration’ came out of my mouth.

‘The Imperial Intelligence Department’s operation details are top-level military secrets. Not the kind of information that should come from the mouth of a child who’s never been near the capital.’

And simultaneously, it meant that Lupeon, as one of the magic nobles, knew this information.

“Where did you get that information?”

“As I reported. I captured a Revolutionary Army executive, and this is the information obtained through interrogation.”

I couldn’t stop here.

Limited time. I laid out all the cards I could play.

“They know that Elcidore is planning an eastern expedition. The Knight Order’s location and deployment status chart has been leaked. There’s a traitor within the Knight Order!”

“Silence!”

Hearing my words, Knight Order Commander Burken shouted.

“A traitor in the Knight Order! You rats who live off the Count’s mercy dare to try to manipulate the Count with your worthless tongues!”

“I am merely reporting the information I discovered.”

“You still dare to……!”

Burken’s words didn’t continue.

Because Lupeon raised his hand to stop him.

“The name of the traitor you discovered?”

“Rugen Felburst. The third son of Viscount Felburst.”

“Burken.”

Lupeon’s gaze turned to Burken.

“Is there a knight by that name in the Knight Order?”

“Th-that is…….”

After thinking for a moment, Burken opened his mouth with a sour expression.

“He-he’s one of the lower-ranked knights. I remember seeing the name while preparing the roster.”

“Oh? That’s quite interesting.”

Hearing Burken’s words, Lupeon questioned him.

“The Knight Order’s personnel information should be strictly under the Knight Order Commander’s jurisdiction. Have you ever handed over the Knight Order roster to Ben?”

“Th-that is……!”

There’s no way that happened.

The Knifehead and the Knight Order were at odds with each other.

They barely shared operation details, let alone personnel information.

“Then how does this Knifehead member grunt know the name of a lower-ranked knight?”

“……!”

When Burken couldn’t answer, Elcidore spoke in a chilling voice.

“Interrogate this knight Rugen. Let’s cross-check the information.”

At the Count’s order, two knights immediately left the interrogation room. His gaze turned back to me.

“The Revolutionary Army’s attack plan, and now an internal traitor… If the information you’ve revealed is true, it would be a great achievement.”

“I have not spoken any falsehoods.”

“Yes, I hope so.”

Otherwise, you won’t die peacefully.

The Count laughed lowly as he said this and asked me.

“If all you say is true, then you have saved me and House Elcidore. So what do you want from me?”

“…….”

“Do you want money? Or perhaps a new life? Or are you eyeing Ben’s position as his successor?”

He won’t give any of those.

In this situation where he’s not even sure if it’s true or false, there’s no way he would make such sweet offers.

This is a test.

“I want nothing.”

“……What did you say?”

Knowing this, I lowered my head with a resigned expression.

“A blade that has served its purpose should be broken – that’s what the supervisor always said, what he always emphasized.”

And this answer would be exactly what he truly wanted to hear.

“…Knifehead 41st Generation Eugene Lorentz. I have completed my report.”

After finishing my words, I gave a signal to one of the members guarding my sides.

It meant to kill me now that the report was complete.

“Knifehead’s First Principle. I shall fulfill it, albeit belatedly.”

The member who received my gaze hesitated for a moment, then drew the dagger from his chest and approached me.

The blue blade slowly approached, aiming for my neck.

“For Elcidore.”

With those words, force was applied to the dagger aimed at my neck.

“Stop!”

But at that moment.

At the Count’s shout, the blade that was about to cut my throat stopped moving.

“……!”

If the Count’s order had been even slightly delayed, my neck would have been cut.

Relief almost made me exhale, but I desperately held it in.

“Count.”

It was then that a knight ran up to the Count.

Though he was whispering in his ear, I could easily guess the content.

“Rugen has escaped.”

Then, hearing those words, Lupeon’s shoulders shook as if he couldn’t contain his amusement.

“Heh, hehe… Hahahaha……!”

I turned my head at the eerie laughter.

“Excellent.”

When I raised my head at his voice, the Count’s gaze had changed.

From displeasure and hostility to interest and curiosity.

‘It worked.’

Just as planned with Maximilien.

The Revolutionary Army’s insider had safely escaped, and I had proven my words were true.

“Release his bonds.”

At the Count’s order, the chains binding me fell to the floor.

“You will be confined to a private room. You will be under surveillance, and will be shot immediately if you show any suspicious behavior.”

“Understood.”

Still not letting go of his suspicions even in this situation.

It was a dizzying level of suspicion, but I didn’t mind much.

At least regarding the Revolutionary Army’s attack plan, the Count trusted me.

“If what you say about them coming is true, then the important thing is their infiltration route. Have you discovered anything?”

Knowing the enemy’s intentions meant being one step ahead of them.

To the Count’s question, asked with rising interest, I slowly set the plan in motion.

“I was told the Revolutionary Army’s leader himself will command the invasion. They plan to cause simultaneous disturbances before he infiltrates alone.”

“That’s the best news I’ve heard. If that happens, I can finish the fight we couldn’t complete before.”

And restore the family’s authority that Claude had tainted.

Speaking thus, Lupeon showed no sign of fear even at the mention of the Revolutionary Army’s leader coming.

It was the composure that only an overwhelming powerful being could have.

I will exploit the gap created by that composure to proceed with the plan.

“And the means they will use for that invasion is…”

I raised my finger upward.

“The sky. The airship they used to take Young Master Claude.”

Now it was time to tell lies, not truth.

***

“Hah… Hah……”

In the dark forest.

Knight Rudel, who had been running until he was about to lose his breath, realized there were no pursuers and gasped for air.

“Rudel, this way.”

“……!”

A familiar voice from the undergrowth.

When he turned his gaze, a face he knew well appeared.

Claude Elcidore.

The young noble who had escaped from Elcidore and joined the Revolutionary Army.

His golden hair, contrasting with Lupeon’s, was shining in the moonlight.

“Were there any pursuers?”

“I can’t be certain. If they’re following me, we might already be in danger……”

While Rudel was speaking, Claude’s eyes flashed as he pressed down on his shoulder.

A dagger that grazed past his face.

The shape of that blade was familiar to both Claude and the escaped Rudel.

“The Knifehead……”

As expected, they hadn’t lost him.

They had just been waiting, using him as bait.

“It’s been a while, Young Master Claude.”

The one who stepped forward saying this was Dwayne.

The commander of Knifehead’s tracking unit.

Along with his voice, gas masks appeared from all around, aiming throwing knives at him.

“Y-Young Master……”

“Call me Claude. I am no longer nobility.”

He had already exhausted all his magical power while escaping.

Claude, who stood blocking Rudel’s front, slowly extended his right arm.

“That’s……”

Dwayne narrowed his brows as he saw Claude’s arm.

What was engraved on Claude’s right arm was a red magic imprint that appeared to be burning, contrasting with Elcidore’s magic imprint.

It was the magic imprint used by the Revolutionary Army.

“The magic imprint bestowed by the Count… You discarded it?”

“Magic imprint? No. That was a shackle. A shackle created by the Count to oppress me and you all!”

“Nonsense!”

As the air froze, dozens of Ice Spears floated in the air.

He was surrounded on all sides.

However, Claude, without showing fear, activated his magic circuit.

“……!”

As if opposing the cold energy aimed at him, hot energy spread out from Claude’s center.

The wing-shaped magic imprint rose up high.

Though it only had two strokes, the magical power emanating from it was enough to startle the Knifehead members surrounding him.

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