I Married the Dragon I Killed
Chapter 31
“Wait, Count Consilus! We are agents of the Imperial Household.”
Hoping they had simply misunderstood, he emphasized his point once more.
That their career paths and futures depended on them.
Consilus patted his shoulder with an air of pity.
“You’ve suffered much on your long journey. Indeed. To think the Empire would summon people for such a task and have them catch innocent men.”
“Wait, what—what on earth does that….”
This wasn’t how the conversation was supposed to go.
The man who had been ranting about what a godforsaken bastard Ferda was had undoubtedly been Count Consilus.
And now he was having a change of heart?
‘No way….’
Karl’s eyes darted between Ferda and Count Consilus.
No. That was impossible.
There was no way such a tight-knit bond existed in the world of nobility.
“What are you doing?”
“Pardon?”
Ferda tilted his head to the side as he spoke.
“Hurry up and call the next witness.”
Ferda flicked his fingers as if counting.
“There are still many witnesses left. Excluding the deceased Thessalos Walcher, thirteen remain. Bring them all out and have them testify. If even one of them declares me guilty, your job is done, isn’t it?”
Even if it wasn’t ninety-nine out of a hundred, if just one person said it was true, the power of the Eradication Squad could destroy a man.
However, Karl knew that even if he called all thirteen, he had no chance of winning.
If Count Consilus, the true power of the Far East, denied it, then those beneath him would deny it as well.
“If you cannot call a witness, then bring out something else.”
“W-What….”
“Surely you brought more charges to disparage and threaten me? Bring them out.”
The atmosphere had completely flipped.
Karl forced himself to maintain a stubborn front.
With trembling hands, he pulled something from his chest pocket.
“I—I heard that you kidnapped this child.”
It was a montage of a young girl with long, straight hair.
One look at those vacant eyes was enough to identify her as Mori.
‘If they’re looking for Mori, then it’s Hellus Phobidas.’
If Hellus Phobidas had pointed specifically to Ferda, it meant he had found the maid.
“I see.”
Of course, the threat itself was utterly toothless.
Karl knew this well.
It was just that his mind had gone blank, and he felt he had to do something.
“I’m sorry to tell you, but I purchased that girl. I received the maid’s consent, and the ownership was transferred to me. It cannot be called a kidnapping.”
“…….”
“Still, if you wish to insist, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a chat with the party involved. So, what’s next?”
Karl did not answer.
Aside from those points, everything else was trivial.
Mere trifles intended to see if they could squeeze out a few more coins.
He had no cards left.
“Then it is my turn to speak.”
The floor passed to Ferda.
He turned his gaze toward Count Consilus.
“Count Consilus.”
“Yes. Speak, Regent,” the Count responded with a polite bow.
“This man openly demanded money from me.”
“Ho-ho, is that so? Since they’ve come a long way, isn’t it right to provide them with travel expenses?”
“He demanded one hundred thousand Golden as travel expenses.”
“Ho-ho, that is quite a large sum.”
“What is the value of that money?”
“It is difficult to give a definitive answer, as value differs for everyone.”
“I see. In terms of the money spent on your people, how much do you think it would be?”
“It would be enough for my people to live for ten years without worrying about food.”
“I see.”
Ferda’s blue eyes glowed faintly.
“So this man intended to steal ten years from the people all by himself?”
“That is correct.”
Consilus followed suit and glared at Karl.
The faint smile was gone, replaced by clear fury in his eyes.
“He has committed an act that would outrage both heaven and man.”
“Ah… Aah….”
Even the cat they had called in to corner the rat was in on it.
Karl, who had never imagined he would be the one trapped, began to tremble violently.
“What are your thoughts, Count? What should be done with this man?”
“Demanding gold and goods while carrying the name of the Empire… this is not the behavior of a mere knight.”
“Indeed. And he demanded that I look upon him as if he were the Emperor.”
“Hahaha! Surely he wouldn’t do such a thing? For a mere knight to dare equate himself with His Imperial Majesty.”
“And if that were true, what would happen?”
“He would have no right to complain even if he ended up like Thessalos. Thessalos Walcher got a hole in his forehead, didn’t he?”
“He did.”
Karl could barely breathe as he listened to their one-sided conversation.
Unable to say a word, he broke into a cold sweat as he looked back and forth between the two.
“But before that… how about we lodge an official protest with the Empire regarding the solicitation of bribes and the impersonation of royalty?”
“A fine idea. But would they even listen to a protest from someone as insignificant as me?”
“You needn’t worry. I shall prepare it myself.”
Most nobles knew that the Eradication Squad did dirty work.
But it was a different story if someone made it an official issue.
No one would dare ignore a statement from Count Consilus, who had guarded the front lines into his old age.
‘Count Consilus….’
A sense of betrayal flickered in Karl’s eyes.
Falling into this trap was the handiwork of that old man laughing and chatting over there.
‘He trapped me—the Eradication Squad—!’
Consilus and Ferda Valdrova had conspired together to create this disaster.
Karl tried one last act of defiance.
“W-We are a direct unit! Even if you protest like that, it won’t change—”
“Do you really think so?”
Ferda replied coldly.
“What is your value?”
“My value…?”
“Do you think it would be easier to protect you, or to strike off your head and claim they are correcting a personal deviation? Which would be more convenient?”
There was no need to ask.
The latter was overwhelmingly better.
“And even if you somehow survive, do you think your kin will stay quiet? Your younger brothers will likely come to take your head themselves.”
“What do you mean….”
“Think about it, eldest son of the Harvest family. You have two younger brothers below you, don’t you? Even if you are on good terms, do you think they will stay still while their older brother goes around committing acts of corruption?”
There was no way they would stay still.
They were the ones who had looked at everything Karl enjoyed simply because he was born first with eyes full of spite.
If they knew a knight’s honor, they would strike him down for the glory of the family.
If they were merely worldly men hungry for success, they would strike him down for their own advancement.
Karl, for whom dying was more profitable than living, was perfect prey.
In a situation where everything was pressing down on him, Karl realized too late.
‘The dragon wasn’t the problem.’
This Regent, whom they had been mocking just a few days ago, was the one to be feared.
“Speak.”
Ferda’s voice startled him back to reality.
As always, he asked coldly.
“What do I look like to you now?”
A sharp chill, as if an icy blade were held to his throat.
He felt that the moment he gave the wrong answer, that blade would sever his neck and tear him limb from limb.
Trembling with fear, Karl forced out an answer.
“You are the—the Great Regent of Valdrova.”
A sense of total submission bled through his voice.
“Yes, the one who rules the Valdrova Principality on behalf of the Duke.”
Ferda stood up and placed a hand on the shaking Karl’s shoulder.
“And I believe you should become the master of the Eradication Squad.”
It was a sweet whisper, like that of a devil.
“Do you want to become the master of the Eradication Squad, or would you rather die nobly for it?”
It was a foolish question.
There was no nobility in the Eradication Squad.
Karl bowed his head low.
“Please, accept my loyalty.”
Ferda shook his head at that answer.
“I have no need for your fickle loyalty.”
Just as Karl’s heart sank to the floor, Ferda added:
“What I need is an obedient dog.”
“A… dog?”
“A dog that does only what it is told and does nothing unnecessary. One that wags its tail at the occasional bone thrown its way and knows how to wait quietly for its master. If you can be that, I can open the path to success for you. Do you understand?”
Karl nodded.
“I—I understand. I will be your dog. I will be the Regent’s… dog.”
“Good.”
Ferda patted his shoulder.
“Stay here for the night. I need to fashion a collar for you.”
“……Yes.”
His pale face showed no signs of returning to its natural color.
Karl left the drawing room.
From now on, he would be enjoying dinner with the subordinates he had brought along.
Of course, for the man himself, it was nothing more than a final meal before execution; he wouldn’t even know if the food was going into his mouth or his nose.
In the meantime, Ferda spoke with Count Consilus.
Count Consilus explained the entire sequence of events that led to the Eradication Squad’s arrival.
“So you’re saying the reason the Eradication Squad came here with such confidence was because of you.”
Count Consilus bowed his head.
“I have committed an act deserving of death, for which there is no excuse.”
“It doesn’t matter. So, how did you reply to that letter?”
“That he is a virtuous and wise ruler who cares for the Far East….”
Count Consilus grinned.
“I felt that I shouldn’t answer like that.”
“And the reason?”
He had a guess, but he asked anyway.
“The Eradication Squad is like a swarm of locusts. If they catch the scent of food, they swarm in, ransack everything, and disappear. The Far East is currently seeking development. They always target the weak first and slowly swallow them whole. Once they set foot here, it’s as good as over.”
It was one of the Eradication Squad’s primary strategies.
Isolate the powerless areas first, then devour them.
“But your image was already tarnished because of Thessalos Walcher, Regent.”
On the surface, Ferda was already isolated.
It was enough to make the nobles think they were waiting for a chance to stab Ferda in the back.
If he could just give them that certainty, he could use them.
“You’ve used me quite well.”
“I apologize for causing you concern. This was all my plan, so if you must punish someone, please punish this old man.”
Ferda waved his hand.
“No, it’s fine. You’ve essentially dealt with the prowling dogs for the sake of the territory’s development and peace, haven’t you?”
“But wouldn’t it be unpleasant to have tested the Regent?”
“You told me the truth, so it doesn’t matter. As long as you remain loyal to the Duke, you may use me in any way you wish. I did not come here to enjoy the authority of a king. I came here to devote myself to my master.”
“Ah….”
Count Consilus was a man who could easily see through the superficialities of the nobility.
He could clearly feel that Ferda was sincere to his core.
“So tell me. To whom is your loyalty pledged?”
“To be honest, I was loyal to the Empire. I was someone whose heart leaned more toward the Emperor of the Empire… than the Duke who is close by.”
Consilus spoke his truth with a bitter smile.
“As one grows old, one becomes fearful. Perhaps that is why, as time passes, I sometimes forget why I rose to this position in the first place.”
“Have you recalled what you forgot now?”
“Yes. Thanks to the Regent, my eyes have been opened.”
Consilus looked out the window.
Not far away, the contaminated land, the Demon Realm, stretched out.
It was a view he could never have seen from his own castle because of the elevation.
“From the moment I rose to this position, I took it with the conviction to protect the people. My loyalty to the Empire was because the Empire exists to protect its subjects, not because it elevated me.”
“You are a noble of high character.”
“You flatter me.”
Consilus chuckled.
Consilus was the spokesperson for this Far East.
But as was often the case, there was nothing to light a fire in their hearts.
Even though countless soldiers had died, all they gained was their own eroding hearts and fear.
“Count Consilus.”
“Yes.”
“Does that conviction still dwell in your heart?”
“It does.”
Ferda reached out his hand.
“Then join me. To protect this East, I need someone like you.”
Consilus’s eyes widened at the proposal, and he shook his head.
“No. Please do not say such things. I am the one who should be saying that, not you, Regent.”
Consilus knelt and carefully placed both of his hands over Ferda’s.
The hands that had gripped a sword to protect the people were rough and calloused.
“Please lead this East, where only death lurks. I shall always remain loyal to the Duke and follow the will of the Regent.”
Karl was suffering from a massive hangover.
In his predicament, where he had to hide an unspeakable secret, he had drunk like a madman with the thought of dying.
But instead of death, only a deathly hangover and the morning sun greeted him.
‘Damn it….’
He wanted to run away.
But he didn’t even have the courage for that.
So he had to sit and wait like a pig trapped in a slaughterhouse.
Someone entered the room.
Thinking it was Ferda, he started to stand up to bow, but—
“Ah, hello?”
A black-haired woman, who was nothing if not gloomy, walked inside.
‘What? Who is this woman?’
But she was far from ordinary.
Judging by her attire, she looked like one of the administrators employed by the castle.
However, there was an ominous aura beneath that ordinary appearance that made him want to back away immediately.
She raised her hand awkwardly in greeting.
“I’ll be signing the contract as a proxy on behalf of the Duke. And… um….”
Her black eyes swept over Karl’s face.
“You’re not as handsome as I heard.”
Her voice sounded genuinely disappointed.
He felt like he was being picked on, but he didn’t even think of getting angry.
“My name is Echidna Philiaz.”
“……Philiaz?”
His hangover vanished instantly.
‘Philiaz? That means she’s a Witch belonging to the Philiaz.’
Philiaz.
They appeared among women who had awakened the Red Circle, and if they proceeded with a contract, they invariably became Witches.
They were famous for their extreme hatred of men and for never cooperating with anyone outside of Philiaz.
‘He’s recruited a Witch… and is using her?’
How on earth?
He forced back the scream-like question that wanted to burst from his mouth.
In Karl’s mind, his evaluation of the man named Ferda was being rewritten.
“Here is… the contract…. Would you like to read it slowly?”
“Yes.”
Karl checked the pages one by one, feeling as if he were grasping at a fraying rope.
‘A loophole… I have to find a loophole….’
But it was impossible.
There was no way Karl, who wasn’t well-versed in law, could review a contract dozens of pages long by himself.
‘She’s a Witch, after all….’
Witches, who were said to be the most repulsive after demons when it came to contracts.
When Ferda said he would put a dog collar on him, Karl had expected some kind of contract magic, but he never imagined it would be done using a Witch.
After reading about three pages, Karl gave up and filled in his name on each sheet.
One way or another, the fact that he was becoming a dog remained unchanged.
As soon as he finished signing the last page, the contract began to glow.
“Ugh.”
Karl groaned at the pain rising beneath his skin.
The stinging sensation carved a contract mark onto his wrist.
With that, the contract with this gloomy Witch was complete.
“Yes. I’ve confirmed it. From now on… you have to be very careful with your words, okay?”
“What do you mean… careful with my words?”
“I—I expected it, but you really didn’t read it well…. So… um… if you try to do anything against the Regent’s will, or attempt to hint at this contract… your head will go bang!!”
His shoulders hitched.
“It’ll fly right off. You have to be careful with your thoughts and your words at all times, okay?”
The fact that she stuttered like a fool while casually talking about death made it feel all the more chilling.
A 5th-circle contract spell holds absolute power within the terms of the contract.
If there are no gaps in the contract, one must perform a forced cancellation, but even that process is difficult and cumbersome.
‘The circle is a secondary issue.’
Karl had contracted with a Witch.
If that fact became known, he would not only be beheaded by the Empire, but he would also die at the hands of his brothers, who were constantly eyeing his position.
He had to hide it at all costs.
“…….”
“Ehehe, I—I’d like you to answer me.”
He flinched.
An ominous energy was pouring out of her.
In that awkward smile, he saw a madness devoid of bloodlust.
That made it even more terrifying.
“Y-Yes, of course!!”
“Okay, I got your answer. You can go now. Bye-bye~.”
Karl fled the room as if escaping.
Echidna smiled and waved her hand at Karl as he ran away with his tail between his legs.
He finally managed to get outside and was about to catch his breath when—
“The contract ended quickly.”
He had escaped the tiger’s den only to find another tiger prowling about.
That tiger placed a hand on Karl’s shoulder and spoke.
“I shall give the first mission to the dog who is a member of the Eradication Squad and has sworn loyalty to the Valdrova Principality.”
Karl could no longer avoid it.
“What is the mission?”
Ferda replied.
“Hellus Phobidas.”
The man known as the Sage of Water.
“Bring him here.”
He intended to put a leash on that one as well.
