Sigrid

With Lowengrin’s earlier example in mind, this answer came easily.

“By threatening him, perhaps?”

“Threats, and probably money too. For a commoner, the position of a count is unimaginably high. Many people have no choice but to endure unfair treatment.”

“Then what should I do to avoid being treated like that?”

Sigrid didn’t want to experience such a thing again. She thought changing her life would be enough—

Fear surged in like a tidal wave, tightly gripping Sigrid’s chest. Lowengrin rested her chin on her hand and sighed.

“You’re still going through the basics of human relationships, step by step. So, how can we prevent something like today from happening again?”

Review starts with the basics.

Lowengrin thought with a slight smile. Sigrid wracked her brain, clutching her head.

‘I saved Seria, and umm— umm—’

She didn’t know.

What should she change when she hadn’t done anything wrong?

Sigrid finally came up with an answer and hesitantly opened her mouth.

“Um… not saving the girl…?”

“Turning a blind eye is one way. But can you do that?”

“I don’t know……”

“Then what other methods are there?”

“Umm—”

Sigrid felt like her head was about to explode. After waiting for a while, Lowengrin said,

“There’s also the method of ending things through gentle conversation with Count Oren.”

“Huh?”

“I bet you started by bringing up the law and saying ‘Isn’t this your fault?’ The tongue is soft for a reason—so you can speak softly. That’s how you slip the knife in.”

Seeing Sigrid staring at her blankly, Lowengrin nodded and said, “Ah.”

“That might be a bit too advanced for you.”

Lowengrin pondered for a moment before saying,

“Or there’s the method of you advancing in rank.”

“Advancing in rank?”

“Didn’t you notice how Count Oren backed down as soon as he saw me today?”

“I did.”

“Why do you think that was?”

“…Because you’re the daughter of a viscount?”

Connecting it to the mention of advancement, Sigrid answered, and Lowengrin smiled.

“Yes, that’s why. That’s why I dressed up so elaborately to come out. People who use their power to oppress the weak tend to be weak against those stronger than themselves.”

Lowengrin added in a sing-song voice,

“Weak to the strong, strong to the weak.”

‘Advancement in rank…….’

Sigrid thought about it and then tilted her head.

‘But I had advanced quite far before I died. The Emperor was my backing. Yet in the end, I—’

Ah—

‘That backing betrayed me.’

Sigrid’s mind started working hard.

‘Come to think of it, when I worked under His Majesty before, even when I did such things, the other party never tried to trip me up like this. I thought it was because I was doing the right thing—’

Was it just because I had power?

A disheartening realization washed over her.

Lowengrin, observing the suddenly silent Sigrid, gently said,

“There’s also the method of having me as a friend.”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t you survive today because of me?”

“That’s right, thank you. But—”

“Because I lied?”

“Mmm……”

“That’s just another method. Sigrid, it’s good that you do the right thing. But don’t forget why you’re doing it. I’m not saying you should become a consequentialist who doesn’t care about means to achieve an end. But you need a bit more flexibility.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Sigrid answered firmly. Lowengrin looked at her and said,

“But I hope you don’t become like that.”

“Huh?”

“This might be the wish of a somewhat twisted person like me, but I hope you continue to be your upright self. Sigrid Ankertna. And I hope you rise to the top. So that you can save many people, just like you saved that commoner girl. That’s why you need power, that’s why you advance and form alliances.”

It’s an idealistic notion, but isn’t that what everyone wishes for?

Lowengrin narrowed her eyes as she looked at Sigrid.

‘If she rises to the top, someone like her would be good. If only she could fix that inflexibility a bit.’

“So even to do the right thing, power is needed.”

Sigrid spoke as if she had gained an insight, making Lowengrin smile.

“Rather, that’s why more power is needed. Because good people are more easily weeded out than bad ones.”

So if a person with power is good, they can preserve more good that would otherwise be weeded out.

“Of course, if we’re talking about whether absolute good exists, that’s another matter. Well, let’s leave the debates to the philosophers. I have my hands full just doing the good I can.”

Lowengrin waved her hand, and Sigrid tilted her head at her words before nodding and mentally noting them down. There were times when she couldn’t quite follow Lowengrin’s talk, but Sigrid knew from experience that her words were never uttered carelessly.

Marie-Chez would tease about this, saying,

“Lowengrin reads too many books, so she’ll have a hard time getting married.”

Lowengrin asked,

“Do you want to stay over at my place tonight?”

Sigrid’s eyes sparkled at those words.

‘Pajama party!’

Recalling the nights of chatting with Marie-Chez, Lowengrin, and herself, excitement instantly welled up. But soon, Sigrid shook her head.

“No, I’ll go home tonight.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I told the maids I’d be coming back. I even asked them to prepare dinner.”

“It’s a hassle to prepare food, so it wouldn’t be right to have them make it and then not eat it, right?” Sigrid added.

Lowengrin chuckled.

It was hard to say whether this concern for her subordinates in such an odd way was typical of her or not.

Lowengrin dropped Sigrid off in front of her house. Sigrid said,

“Make sure to invite me next time.”

repeatedly, and Lowengrin nodded.

After seeing off the viscount’s splendid carriage as it disappeared into the distance, Sigrid felt her shoulders tighten and rotated her arms a few times as she pushed open the main gate.

‘It really was an exhausting day.’

She planned to eat dinner, soak in hot water, and rest.

“Lady Ankertna!”

Startled by the shout, Sigrid turned around. She was shocked to see a man clinging to the gate and quickly approached to open it.

“Mr. Arkana? What on earth…?”

Arkana’s appearance was far from normal. Anyone could see he had been severely beaten. As soon as the gate opened, he grabbed Sigrid’s arm and said,

“Please save my little sister, I’ll do anything you want, so—!”

Sigrid recalled the guard’s words about that house being empty as she listened to Arkana.

“First, calm down. What happened?”

“That bastard kidnapped my sister.”

Arkana’s face was swollen, and his pronunciation was unclear. Sigrid frowned.

“You mean Count Oren?”

“Yes.”

Despite his condition, his eyes burned with hatred. His gaze fixed on Sigrid’s crimson eyes.

“Please save my sister, Lady Knight. I’ll give you my soul if I have to.”

“I don’t need your soul.”

Sigrid’s curt reply momentarily stunned Arkana. She looked around and said,

“Come inside, let’s hear your story.”

“We need to go find her as soon as possible!”

At Arkana’s outcry, Sigrid said,

“I may not know much about the ways of the world, but I’m not a fool. I don’t start battles without proper information or plans.”

She meant every word.

Even in that scorched earth operation, Sigrid’s plan had been terrifyingly perfect.

Her military sense, operational ability, and decisiveness.

Sigrid could be considered a perfect soldier, if only she had political acumen.

At her words, Arkana nodded.

As Sigrid entered the mansion, the maids who had gathered to welcome their mistress’s safe return were shocked to see the injured man she brought with her.

“My lady?”

“Who is this—?”

“Eek—”

“I need some hot water and towels. And bring the medicine box too. Mr. Arkana, this way.”

Sigrid led him to the reception room. While the maids boiled water, Arkana briefly told his story.

“Not long after you left, Lady Ankertna, someone knocked on the door. When I opened it, it was a man I didn’t know. As soon as I opened it, I was hit on the head.”

Arkana lightly touched his head. Blood was still oozing from it. Sigrid stood up to examine his head wound.

“This needs stitches.”

“It doesn’t matter. I was knocked out. My mind was hazy, but someone put a sack over my head and kept beating me. Then I heard Seria’s scream, and that was it. When I came to, I was tied up and abandoned in the forest.”

Sigrid looked at his left shoulder. She had thought he was moving oddly earlier, and it seemed to be dislocated. It was remarkable he was alive after taking such a beating.

“My lady, here’s the water and towels.”

“Put them there. I’m going to set your shoulder bone.”

Arkana nodded. Sigrid felt his shoulder and arm with her fingers, then swiftly popped the arm back into place.

“Ugh—!”

Arkana curled up in pain. A quick-witted maid promptly handed Sigrid a cold towel, and she removed Arkana’s outer garment and placed the cold towel on his shoulder. Then she handed him a hot towel, and he carefully began wiping his face.

“What about your magic?”

“It’s sealed.”

“Sealed?”

“It’s the final test to become a magician. Sealing one’s magic for a year.”

Arkana let out a bitter laugh.

“I learned magic to protect my sister, and look at me now.”

Tears rolled down Arkana’s cheeks. Sigrid looked at him with a touch of sympathy before raising her head.

“I understand for now. So Seria has been kidnapped?”

“We must go rescue her immediately. Who knows what that bastard might do to her…!”

“Alright. Rest now.”

As Sigrid said this, Arkana stood up.

“I’ll go with you.”

At his words, Sigrid looked at him with a troubled expression and said,

“If you can’t use magic, you’ll only be a hindrance.”

“I’ll do something. I can distract them, or shout……”

“No.”

Sigrid narrowed her eyes.

“It would be troublesome if you got arrested. I’ll handle this myself.”

This morning, Sigrid would have marched straight into Count Oren’s mansion and declared she was there to check on the kidnapped girl. But after the earlier incident, Sigrid had learned that wouldn’t work.

‘Well then.’

There was no choice but to rescue Seria by other means.

Leaving Arkana, who insisted on coming along, pinned down at home, Sigrid left the mansion. Shortly after, she arrived at the capital’s guard station.

“Lady Ankertna?”

Amu stood up in surprise. Why was someone who had just left back again?

“I’m here to check the floor plans.”

Sigrid’s answer made Amu repeat, “Floor plans?”

“Yes, please show me the floor plans of Count Oren’s mansion. The Imperial Knights have the right to view them, don’t they?”

“Y-Yes, that’s true, but…”

Amu was surprised.

The capital guard kept floor plans of all mansions in the capital. But not many people knew this fact, and no one had ever requested to exercise the dusty right of access until now.

Until today.

Amu guided Sigrid to the archives inside the guard station. Cold air flowed out as the door opened. The smell of dust from old papers filled the archive.

Amu found the floor plans of Count Oren’s mansion and handed them to Sigrid. He didn’t ask why. He didn’t want to know, either.

Sigrid scanned the plans of the three-story mansion, committing them to memory.

Basement, first floor, second floor, third floor.

‘These dotted lines in the basement… ventilation ducts?’

After mentally tracing a few routes, Sigrid looked up.

“Thank you, Captain Amu.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Please don’t disclose that I viewed the maps here.”

“I won’t.”

At Amu’s words, Sigrid smiled slightly and left the archives.

Sigrid looked at the sky. It was about time for the evening formal dinner to end. Sigrid usually ate dinner early for evening training, and around this time, most nobles would be finishing their lavish dinners.

‘Let’s hurry.’

Sigrid mounted her horse and spurred it on. Her second destination was Lunatil’s mansion. Beramund, caught off guard by the unexpected visitor, headed to the reception room without changing his clothes.

“Sigrid?”

“Don’t address me so casually.”

“What brings you here?”

“Is that offer from before still valid?”

Beramund’s eyes widened as he removed his leather gloves. He had been practicing swordsmanship, and sweat still beaded on his forehead.

“The recruitment? Of course, but why? Why the sudden change of heart?”

Sigrid took a deep breath and said,

“Before that, there’s one thing I’d like to ask.”