That night after the duel took place, banquets were being held all over Gilm despite it being winter.
Those who had seen the winter festival and, above all, the duel, were making noise while their excitement was still running high.
……While most people were happily drinking and eating in high spirits, not everyone in Gilm was partying cheerfully, of course.
The nobles gathered at the residence of a Royalist Faction noble in the noble district were holding a drinking party of their own with bitter expressions on their faces.
Expensive alcohol and dishes made with rare ingredients had been prepared, but none of the nobles were in a state to enjoy any of it.
「Damn it, what was the Earl Eliel family thinking!? Sending a fool like that!」
One noble shouted as he slammed his cup onto the table as if it were his mortal enemy.
The reactions of those listening split into two.
One side looked at the shouting noble with bitter expressions, while the other shouted in agreement with him.
Although they were nobles gathered at this residence under the banner of the Royalist Faction, because it had the largest number of members among the three major factions of the Mireana Kingdom, the Royalist Faction was divided into several sub-factions.
The ones wearing bitter expressions were those belonging to the same sub-faction as the ones who had sent Keep.
The nobles agreeing with the shouting noble belonged to other sub-factions.
The nobles of the Royalist Faction were cleanly split in two, but one of the nobles from the latter group spoke up.
「If things continue like this, the Royalist Faction’s reputation will be dragged through the mud. Trying to take the maid of a poor noble like the Baron Cisne family by force already looks bad enough, but he even escalated it to a duel and suffered a crushing defeat. For some reason, he wagered half of the Earl Eliel family’s property, and it has even been legally processed.」
「Indeed. What on earth was he thinking, doing something like this……」
「He did it precisely because he wasn’t thinking at all. In any case, what that fool Keep did was the height of stupidity. And the biggest problem is that he belongs to the Royalist Faction. ……I would like to ask, what was your sub-faction thinking when you sent someone like that to Gilm?」
Those on the receiving end of the accusing glares were the members belonging to the sub-faction that had maneuvered to send Keep to Gilm.
Wearing a bitter expression, one of them spoke.
「To be completely honest, we never thought he would do something this stupid either. Originally, the plan was to cause a moderate amount of trouble so the upper echelons of the Royalist Faction could intervene and drive a wedge between the Neutral Faction and the Aristocratic Faction, but……」
「For it to end with a result like this, truly……never did we imagine he would cause such a foolish problem.」
「Indeed, indeed. Those in the Royal Capital who sent someone like that are the ones who should be blamed. We who are here in Gilm must join hands and cooperate as fellow members of the Royalist Faction.」
The others wore displeased expressions at the convenient words from the sub-faction that had sent Keep.
Even so, the reason they didn’t voice their complaints was because it was true they had to cooperate with each other.
It was true they were nobles belonging to the Royalist Faction, the largest faction in the Mireana Kingdom.
However, by that same token, Gilm was also the stronghold of the Neutral Faction.
If infighting broke out here, the Neutral Faction nobles, including Daska, or perhaps the Aristocratic Faction nobles, might try to interfere in some strange way.
To prevent that, it was a fact that they needed to unite as the Royalist Faction.
After all, today’s duel had inflicted a significant wound on the Royalist Faction.
「……It is true that we need to cooperate.」
With those words, the discussion about responsibility was shelved for now.
In that case, the next problem was Keep.
「So, what do you plan to do about Lord Wet-Pants?」
Everyone burst out laughing at the words muttered by one of the nobles.
No one present had ever imagined that someone who was supposed to be the next head of an earl family would wet himself in front of a crowd.
「Knowing Lord Wet-Pants, he will probably resort to some short-sighted action.」
「For example, raiding the Baron Cisne residence, slaughtering everyone, and pretending none of this ever happened?」
「He already tried that, didn’t he? And in the end, his men were repelled by the adventurers hired as guards for the residence. Even for Lord Wet-Pants, would he really use a tactic that has already failed once?」
「Precisely because he is Lord Wet-Pants, I think he would gamble on a sudden turnaround if he has no other options.」
「Hmm. What should we do then? Should we inform Margrave Rowlocks of this matter? By doing so, won’t it at least show that the Royalist Faction has no involvement in Lord Wet-Pants’s actions?」
「……Hmm, that might be a good idea.」
The Royalist Faction nobles all nodded, and just as they were about to send someone running to the lord’s residence, it happened.
The sound of a door being violently opened echoed around, and the gazes of everyone present turned toward the entrance of the room.
Considering that the people gathered here were nobles, it was only natural that their looks became reproaching.
The master of the residence shouted irritably at the rude intruder.
「What are you doing!」
However, the man who was shouted at wore an expression of relief instead, quickly approaching his master.
The master of the residence seemed to find his behaviour strange as he waited for the man to approach while frowning slightly.
Then, the man whispered the information that had just arrived into his master’s ear.
「Ridiculous! That’s far too soon, no matter how you look at it!」
He shouted as if he couldn’t believe it.
Naturally, the other nobles watching closely were intrigued about what had happened.
However, the noble who was the master of this residence paid no mind to his companions’ curious looks and spoke.
In order to inform his companions of the information he had just been told.
「I just received a report from my subordinate. ……That guy Keep has apparently headed toward the Baron Cisne residence, taking all the fighting strength he could gather. Their numbers are over fifty.」
『What!?』
At that report, everyone present let out cries of shock.
It was true they had anticipated Keep might raid the Baron Cisne residence.
However, they never could have imagined he would do something like that so suddenly on this very night.
「Isn’t taking action far too soon, no matter how you look at it!?」
「He’s an idiot, so he probably took action without thinking deeply about it!」
「Over fifty people? How did he gather so many?」
「What do we do!? If the fallout from Lord Wet-Pants reaches us, it will be disastrous!」
With the move being far too unexpected, it was difficult for the Royalist Faction nobles gathered there to reach a consensus on what they should do.
Going back a short time ago.
Around the time the duel ended, as the winter sunset fell and night was approaching, Keep was throwing a massive tantrum in his room.
「Gaaaaaaaaah! Damn it, damn it, damn it! Why did things turn out like this! What did I do! Why is everyone making a laughing stock out of me!?」
Swinging a decorative spear that was displayed nearby wildly, he took his anger out on the furniture in the room.
Since Keep had never trained his body, the speed of his spear swings was slow and lacked sharpness.
Even so, he was at least able to smash the furniture in the room.
Though sturdy furniture like his office desk ended up sending an intense numbness through Keep’s arms.
Finding even that irritating, he continued to smash the furniture with his spear……
「That’s right……I’m not at fault. No matter who looks at it, no matter how you look at it, I’m not in the wrong. I did nothing wrong. The ones in the wrong are that poor noble family who opposed me. Opposing me despite being poor wretches of a lower rank…… In the first place, if they are gone, all my blunders will be wiped clean. Yes, in other words, as long as I get rid of those nuisances……」
In Keep’s mind, the reason for this duel had already been conveniently altered so that everything was the Baron Cisne family’s fault.
「If only the root of all evil wasn’t here, I can still……still start over. Yes, no matter who the opponent is, the ones who got in my way are at fault. I am not at fault. The ones who attacked me are in the wrong. That’s right, it has to be.」
Keep muttered as he looked at the wall that had been gouged by his spear strikes, but his muttering faded with the sound of a knock on the door.
「Who is it?」
「It is I, Keep-sama. Just as we discussed before the duel, preparations to raid the Baron Cisne residence are already complete. All that remains is for Keep-sama to issue the order and lead the charge into the Baron Cisne residence, and everything will be settled smoothly.」
At the words of Furtos, who opened the door and showed himself, Keep’s eyes lit up for a moment……but when told he would be leading the charge, he shrank back.
「I-I’m supposed to lead the charge? Why do I have to do something so dangerous?」
Although he usually acted haughty, the moment he might be put in danger, he immediately shrank back.
Furtos knew Keep’s personality well, but even so, he couldn’t stop himself from clicking his tongue internally.
(In order for me to escape this place, I need someone to cause a massive uproar elsewhere to draw attention away. For that, having this man who has drawn so much attention from today’s events go on a rampage is the best option. I have to somehow motivate him……)
If they lost the duel, Keep’s disinheritance was an unavoidable future.
Furthermore, it was clear that Furtos, who had come to Gilm alongside Keep as his subordinate, would not get off lightly either.
Being dismissed would be the best case scenario, but if things went poorly, his head might literally be sent flying, and he had no desire whatsoever to be dragged down by a man like Keep.
As such, his only choice was to have Keep draw all the attention while he took as many valuables as possible and vanished.
For Furtos, having Keep launch a conspicuous raid on the Baron Cisne residence was an absolute necessity.
「Please rest assured, Keep-sama. The numbers we have gathered exceed fifty people. No matter how strong Rei may be, there is nothing he can do against such a difference in numbers. In addition, if Keep-sama leads everyone to raid the Baron Cisne residence right now, you can also obtain that maid you desired. However, if it is done without Keep-sama……those without leadership might do whatever they please with that maid.」
「……What did you say?」
Keep, who had shown fear until now, froze at Furtos’s words.
At this reaction, even Furtos, who had expected it to work out, wore a look of slight surprise.
(Why is he so obsessed with that maid? It wasn’t as though she was such a great beauty that he needed to go that far to get her. No, since he suffered this ordeal because he tried to obtain that maid, could it be that he wants to at least get her to make up for it? Either way, it’s convenient for me.)
Even if Furtos didn’t understand the reason for his obsession with Ashie, the fact that Keep showed motivation was more than enough.
「Therefore, Keep-sama leading the charge to raid the Cisne family and pretending this whole matter never happened is the best option. That maid will not refuse to come under Keep-sama’s care either once Baron Cisne, the master she serves, is dead.」
It was blatant flattery and manipulation.
Normally, even Keep would have found something strange about Furtos’s attitude.
However, the current Keep was in no state to be called sane.
All kinds of negative emotions like anger, shame, and greed raged wildly inside Keep.
Told that all of them would be resolved, Keep could not resist.
「Alright, let’s go, let’s go! I’ll make the bastards who put me through this pay! The other guys are actually useful, right!? You definitely didn’t gather useless trash like today’s duel, right!?」
Even so, the fact that he sought confirmation showed Keep’s cowardice.
「Yes, we have gathered many skilled fighters. You will be able to rampage to your heart’s content, Keep-sama. Please unleash all your frustration. Keep-sama is the next head of the Earl Eliel family, and a poor baron family like that is a trivial opponent.」
「That’s right. Ah, it has to be. I am entirely in the right. Being troubled by wretches like that is wrong in the first place. Yes, I shall vent all my frustration to my heart’s content!」
Holding the spear, Keep left the room.
Confirming that the escort knights waiting in the hallway followed behind Keep, a smile appeared on Furtos’s lips.
Though that smile was something that should be called a sneer.
「Now then, the decoy is standing out flashy and drawing everyone else’s attention. I need to get out of this residence as quickly as possible too. I’ll gladly take all the valuables, so do your best to stand out, Keep-sama.」
Muttering with no respect for Keep contrary to his words, Furtos left the room to prepare his escape from the residence.