I Became a Sick Nobleman

Chapter 100.1 - Who is my enemy?

Rie slowly turned her head and looked down at her hand.

She raised her gaze from the hilt of the sword, down the blade, and then to the shattered edge of the blade.

She was emitting an aura without even realizing it.

Rattle.

Her hands were shaking.

It’s broken.

The blade of the sword had broken.

“I heard something…”

Ruel struggled to raise his upper body and then froze.

The orange aura was wrapped in a Turbulent Blade, and the blade was broken.

Rie looked at Ruel with a horrified face.

‘This is why I can’t stop utilizing Turbulent Day.’

Ruel struggled to hold back the laugh that wanted to leak out.

***

Rie managed to calm her mind.

When the sword broke, the butler went out, and Ruel could not threaten herself.

If there was someone else in this room, there’s no way she wouldn’t know.

It was as if she had been possessed.

Rie first chose apology over excuses.

She repeatedly bowed her head to Ruel.

“…Ha.”

A long sigh came from Ruel’s mouth.

She could sense a really heavy and deep worry in that sigh.

“As the head of the Kuhn family, I will take full responsibility for this matter. Please tell me anything that can remedy this situation.”

“As you know, Turbulent Day is the heirloom of Setiria. It’s also very famous.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Let’s pretend that the Turbulent Day is not broken for now. Can you keep it a secret?”

“Of course.”

“Even if it’s a counterfeit, I think we’ll have to make it again.”

“I will cover all the expenses.”

Ruel sighed again and swept up his bangs, setting the mood so that Rie would increase her guilty conscience.

“Cassion, organize it carefully.”

“Alright.”

Ruel looked back at Rie.

“I invited Lord Kuhn not because of the Turbulent Day, you know.”

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She bowed her head slightly with a face of dread.

She had nothing to defend about destroying an heirloom, and was unsure what price would need to be paid.

“Do you love this country, Leponia?”

“…?”

Rie’s expression of embarrassment was revealed along with the tension that was being released.

“Did you become a knight for Leponia, your country?”

In response to a different but similar question, Rie raised her head and made eye contact with Ruel.

He was serious and wanted an answer.

“Of course.”

Rie answered as a knight should.

“I have three requests for Lord Kuhn. Don’t lie in this room. Do not leave this room without my permission. Lastly, the final request will be told at a later time.”

“That’s… Is that it?”

“Yes, that’s it. The second condition is to prevent escape because you may run out of the room.”

“You, you’re asking… No, it’s not a worry.”

Rie was reticent.

Ruel was a lord.

A man of honor.

“I, Rie Kuhn, have taken the knight’s oath and will surely keep it.”

Rie rose from her seat and made a salute.

This oath is not as compulsory as Mana’s Oath, but its honor as a knight depended on the presence of Cassion.

Only knights could become the head of the Kuhn family.

If Rie broke this oath, there was a high possibility that her title as head of the family would be revoked.

“Thank you.”

Ruel respected her will.

Rie, seated again, sipped the tea lightly.

“Do you know a group called Red Ash?”

Rie seemed to think for a moment and soon opened her mouth.

“I know. Three years ago, they approached me saying they would help me become the head of the family.”

‘As expected.’

It was so difficult to find a place where Red Ash hadn’t touched.

“Then, is Lord Kuhn a part of Red Ash?”

“No, sir. I killed the guy who defiled my reputation as a knight on the spot. I’m a knight. I didn’t want to become the head of the family under someone else’s power.”

Ruel took a peek at Cassion, inhaling Breath.

He nodded his head.

Cassion seemed to believe that Rie was telling her truth, as did he.

“Do you know what they’re doing?”

“I don’t know. There have been some strange things since, but they haven’t approached me.”

“Can you believe me if I tell you that the Red Ash is after this country?”

“…What?”

Rie paused for a moment.

The story suddenly got deeper.

“Cassion.”

Cassion took out two documents and placed them in front of Ruel.

“Let’s look.”

First, he handed one over to Rie.

It was a collection of the things the Red Ash had done, excluding anything about himself and other key information.

She scrutinized the data with a dubious face.

As she read, her face hardened, and her hand gradually slowed down to the next page.

“…This, this is ridiculous. So many people in Leponia have been linked to the Red Ash?”

“Yes. Some are still active, some are gone.”

Ruel then handed over another one.

“This is the Leponia attack plan that I obtained from their hands.”

As soon as Rie read the material, her hands trembled.

It was information that the Royal Family and themselves hid that should never leak out.

“Can you believe me now?”

“I should inform the Royal Family immediately. This is not something I can handle…”

When Rie got up from her seat, Ruel calmly brought up the topic he had been withholding.

“I told you that you must not leave this room unless you have my permission.”

Rie sat down again, clenching her fists.

Ruel, sipping tea, spoke once more.

“Do you remember what I asked Lord Kuhn before I started talking about this?”

“Remember. Didn’t you ask me if I loved my country or if I became a knight for Leponia?”

“Listen to me, the Second Prince followed by yourself, Lord Kuhn is a Red Ash. His Highness Adoris Leponia himself.”

Rie looked at Ruel aghast.

“Do not take action, you can deliver to me what you have spoken about with His Highness. This is my third request.”

The Knight’s Oath has already been made.

To protect her honor, she had to follow the conditions that Ruel requested.

“The proof is…”

Ruel smiled at Rie’s words.

“What difference does showing evidence make? I definitely told you not to do anything. The Kuhn family can support the Second Prince as it is now.”

“That doesn’t make sense. This is a serious matter. This is not a child…”

“I’m telling you this because it’s not child’s play. Who will be the first to suspect when the Kuhn family makes a move?”

“I am also the head of the family.”

“So have you ever investigated this entity called Red Ash? Did you know that the Second Prince supported by the Kuhn family is also Red Ash?”

Rie bit her lips tightly and frowned.

“This is not something to be dealt with carelessly. If the Royal Family was involved with them, that would be a terrible thing to be found out.”

“Don’t trust other family heads.”

“…!”

Rie’s eyes shook greatly at Ruel’s words.

It was so disgusting to hear that other territories were dealing with Red Ash.

“Don’t even dig further, you’ll die. You can disappear like a mouse.”

“Are you saying that you, as Lord Setiria, are alright?”

“I’m already a target. You’re not.”

Rie felt Ruel’s smile held a weight, a burden.

Despite him not being a knight, she felt the spirit of someone who had overcome countless battles.

“Doing nothing is not a statement made out of disregard for the Kuhn family. If I disappear, I need someone to take over this job. I want it to be the head of the Kuhn family.”

Cassion turned his head for a moment and covered his mouth.

“I know you’re frustrated. Cough, cough!”

Ruel’s face twisted with the cough.

It looked painful just by looking at it.

“But someone has to do this. People in the world think of Setiria and Kuhn as rivals, but I think differently. Because we are gatekeepers, we can understand each other better. Isn’t that right?”

“Why is Lord Setiria doing this?”

It was a task that many others could undertake.

However, she didn’t understand why Ruel, who was not well, was doing it.

“I want to protect this country. The mind is firm, unlike this weak body.”

Ruel laughed bitterly.

“I-I’m sorry. There was no malice.”

“That’s alright.”

“…Then may I ask why it is me?”

“You are the gatekeeper protecting the Royal Family. The gatekeeper must not collapse and since you’re a gatekeeper, you have a duty to hold the defense. That’s why I chose Lord Kuhn.”

Rie squeezed her thigh and slowly loosened her grip.

“I believe in the Setiria family.”

Her eyes sparkled with trust and firmness towards Ruel.

“The reason I supported the Second Prince was because of his mindset for the country. Contrary to that, I have noticed that his behavior has been strange recently.”

Ruel inhaled Breath and listened calmly.

“During the banquet, His Highness used me to meet Lord Setiria. To be honest, I was disappointed at that time. If he had told me the truth, I would have been more efficient.”

Disappointment appeared briefly in Rie’s eyes and disappeared.

“I trust Lord Setiria. Coming here, the residents and servants really like the patriarch. It’s not something you can fake.”

“…?”

Rie smiled very broadly when Ruel was embarrassed.

“I envy you. You’re loved by many.”

‘Is it because I lowered taxes? Because of the supplies?’

“I trust the lord’s family, so I will accept your request. But keep in mind, my sword is aimed at the enemies of Leponia.”

“Thank you very much.”

In any case, Rie accepted his request at her own will.

“Can I move on to the hard part now?”

Rie sipped the tea and laughed.

“I’m personally interested in Setiria.”