Chapter 83
Cromwell Staviana (3)
—Adopt Ilea as your daughter.
Johan’s abrupt proposal plunged the drawing room into silence.
No one opened their mouth.
The count merely pulled a handkerchief from his breast pocket and began wiping the water from his clothes.
The silence did not last long.
“Hic!”
The sound of a hiccup rang out.
Ilea clapped a hand over her mouth.
“I-I was just a little startled.”
The count spoke with a composed expression.
“It would seem this was not discussed between the two of you.”
Johan nodded.
“I only just decided it.”
He had long been considering whether to have the count adopt Ilea, but had yet to reach a decision.
The count had arrived in the south far sooner than Johan had anticipated.
Johan had not been given enough time to make up his mind.
Ilea lowered her head slightly.
“This is very sudden.”
Her cheeks were faintly flushed.
Johan said,
“If it’s too much of a burden, you can refuse. I have no intention of forcing you.”
Ilea immediately waved her hands.
“No, I’m fine with it. No, rather than saying I like it, I mean that it’s reasonable. Yes. It’s a good idea.”
She was rambling somewhat incoherently.
Lately, Johan seemed to be seeing this uncharacteristic side of her rather often.
“Well, if you’re all right with it, there are plenty of benefits.”
Ilea smiled faintly.
“I agree.”
Her reaction was more positive than he had expected.
‘I thought she would refuse.’
That meant he could skip the trouble of persuading her.
Johan was more than happy with that.
The count, who had been wiping himself dry, spoke.
“Do I not get a choice? I fail to see how the matter of an adopted daughter has anything to do with making you a grand duke.”
The count was right.
Ilea’s adoption was not directly related to Johan becoming a grand duke.
There were three main reasons Johan wanted the count to adopt her.
First, it would allow her to keep the count under surveillance.
The count was a coolheaded strategist. He might be bowing his head now, but someday he would undoubtedly attempt to turn the tables.
Johan needed to plant someone near him in advance.
Second, Johan intended to enroll Ilea in the Holy City Seminary.
Students at the seminary learned divine magic. Its graduates were immediately appointed to high-ranking clerical positions, and Ilea might even come to be revered as a saintess.
Her magical talent was second to none.
Even in the original story, Ilea had once lived disguised as a high-ranking priestess.
Having her follow the same path this time would greatly benefit Johan.
The network of clergy she would build would be an extremely valuable resource.
But to gain that advantage, she needed the backing of a family like House Staviana.
Only nobles could enroll in the Holy City Seminary.
The moment Ilea became the count’s adopted daughter, that problem would be neatly resolved.
Third, Johan needed to prepare for what would happen after Yeriyan’s resurrection.
Once Yeriyan returned to life, the count would most likely turn his back on Johan.
Johan had already put several countermeasures in place.
Third Prince Gawain and the knight Campbell were two of them.
But they would not be enough.
He needed a decisive trump card.
Ilea could become that trump card.
If she became the count’s adopted daughter and then married Johan, the count’s hands would be tied to a certain extent.
It would even provide Johan with the foundation he needed to swallow House Staviana whole.
Thus, “Ilea de Staviana” would bring Johan countless advantages.
Now that Ilea herself had agreed, Johan had no reason to hesitate.
He said to the count,
“Of course you don’t have a choice, but there is something in it for you.”
“And what would that be?”
“I’ll take care of the Malevolent God Society.”
The count had promised to hand the Third Holy Grail over to the Malevolent God Society, but he could no longer fulfill that promise.
He had failed to obtain the Myatro Barony.
Therefore, he had no way of acquiring the Third Holy Grail, which was stored in the baronial family’s forbidden archive.
The count asked,
“Do you intend to hand over the Holy Grail?”
Johan snickered.
“It’s a Class-Two holy relic. It would be a waste to place it in the hands of vermin.”
“Then how do you intend to resolve the matter?”
“I’ll uproot the Malevolent God Society from your territory. Furthermore, I’ll annihilate the society itself.”
The count no longer had any need for the Malevolent God Society.
Johan was the one who would resurrect Yeriyan.
The society had now become nothing more than a liability to the count.
The count looked at Ilea.
“With this mage’s power?”
It would be an easy task for Ilea.
Johan nodded.
“That’s right. But what do you mean, ‘this mage’? Treat her more affectionately. She’s your daughter now.”
The count silently stared at Ilea before speaking.
“Do not expect my support. My knights have little connection to the Shadow Territory.”
House Staviana had several highly capable knights.
Most of them were ignorant of the Shadow Territory.
No—they knew about it but pretended not to.
Living like blind men despite having functioning eyes was how House Staviana’s knights demonstrated their loyalty.
Johan said,
“Don’t worry. Ilea is more than capable of handling it on her own.”
The count still appeared doubtful.
Hakain spoke up.
“I can vouch for her, Your Excellency. That mage is no ordinary mage. She is an archmage.”
The count paused briefly before responding.
“Whatever the case, I find it strange. Why would you want to annihilate the Malevolent God Society? Did the Apostle agree to this as well?”
The more followers an Apostle possessed, the more powerful they became.
The offerings presented by their followers raised the Apostle’s standing.
Trying to slaughter those precious followers was something the count found difficult to understand.
Johan replied,
“I have no need for vermin like the Malevolent God Society. They’re nothing but cheap, defective goods. Being worshipped by the likes of them would only diminish the Apostle’s standing. Everything I am saying now reflects the Apostle’s will.”
The count crossed his arms.
“Listening to you talk, one might think you were claiming to be the Apostle yourself. Perhaps those mysterious eyes of yours merely give me that impression. May I ask you one truly personal question?”
The Great Saint’s eyes were instilling in the count a strange sense of awe toward Johan.
Johan said,
“If it’s something I can answer, I will.”
The count’s gaze sharpened.
“What exactly are you?”
Johan turned his eyes toward the window.
There was still quite some time before sunset.
He tapped the armrest of his chair with his index finger before answering.
“Would you believe me even if I told you?”
Ilea stared intently at Johan and murmured,
“Johan.”
Revealing his identity was a decision that had to be made with care.
The count said,
“...That would depend on what you tell me.”
Johan abruptly leaned forward.
Their eyes met at close range.
Johan slowly opened his mouth.
“I am the Apostle.”
The corners of his mouth curled into a long grin.
The count’s eyebrow twitched.
Beyond that, he displayed no outward agitation.
He spoke in a composed voice.
“That joke has gone too far.”
Johan shrugged and leaned back in his chair.
“Demons have always enjoyed their jokes.”
The count waved his hand dismissively, looking fed up.
“Any further conversation would be a waste of time.”
“Why not ask more questions?”
“Because I doubt I’ll receive a meaningful answer from you.”
Johan snickered and rose from his seat.
“Then let’s end today’s discussion here. I’ll assume you’ve agreed to adopt Ilea.”
The count had no right to refuse anyway.
He would probably devise plans of his own, but escaping Johan’s grasp would be difficult.
After all, Johan knew most of the cards in the count’s hand.
The count rose as well.
“Will you show me Yeriyan now?”
Johan nodded.
“A promise is a promise. Wait here for a moment.”
Johan immediately headed to the forbidden archive.
Yeriyan’s remains were being kept inside an ordinary wooden coffin.
The count knelt before it and murmured something for quite some time.
He was probably whispering words of love.
Meanwhile, Johan explained everything that had happened to Gaf.
Everything except the part about having Ilea adopted.
It would be better to discuss that issue gradually.
If Gaf found out now, he might throw another fit.
Besides, Gaf had something he needed to focus on immediately.
After listening to Johan, Gaf frowned.
“You really do work me like a slave.”
“Do me this favor. Aren’t we partners?”
Gaf had agreed to escort the count to Beldana.
Hakain, who had originally served as the count’s escort, would remain confined in the barony for a while.
Grumbling, Gaf approached the count.
He muttered in a surly voice,
“I wish I had been given the same chance—to bring my wife back to life.”
The count looked back at him.
“You lost your wife as well?”
“It has already been more than ten years.”
Gaf had lost both his wife and all his comrades to a demon.
“...I see.”
“You are a fortunate man, Count. Johan may be slippery, but he doesn’t make empty promises. Your wife truly will return to life.”
The count looked at Johan.
Johan merely shrugged.
The count said to Gaf,
“We should depart soon.”
The count could not afford to waste much more time.
He had to attend the meeting in the royal capital and carry out Johan’s instructions.
He would have to move swiftly if he wanted to make it in time.
He rose from where he had been kneeling.
Gaf began gathering the count’s belongings.
“Please come down to the first floor. I’ll be waiting.”
After casting Johan a sidelong glance, the count left the drawing room.
***
Flames began appearing one by one throughout the basement.
The dark study slowly brightened.
A shadow fell over Hakain’s face.
“Are you planning to torture me here?”
The study was unmistakably gloomy and ominous.
Traces of demonic energy lingered everywhere, and the faint scent of blood wafted through the air.
The Sword Demon’s keen senses continuously warned him to leave this place at once.
Ilea smiled with her eyes.
“Why would I do something as pointless as torture? An experiment, on the other hand...”
Hakain swallowed dryly.
He had witnessed countless experiments conducted by mages.
Truly horrific memories remained etched into his mind.
He would rather kill himself than live as a test subject.
Ilea slowly approached him.
Hakain smiled awkwardly and backed away.
“W-wait. Let’s talk this through.”
“Specimens don’t talk.”
The moment she reached out her hand, Johan’s voice rang out.
“Stop tormenting him. I have something to discuss with him.”
Ilea beamed and lightly tapped Hakain on the shoulder.
“I was only joking. Why are you so tense?”
Hakain breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Johan.
“Something to discuss? With me?”
Johan nodded.
“I want you to...”
Johan was unable to finish his sentence.
His figure abruptly vanished.
A chilling voice echoed through the air.
“It seems the sun has set.”
Hakain immediately raised his head.
He collapsed onto the floor, unable to hide his shock.
“Y-you are...!”
A malevolent being was slowly descending.
His crimson eyes gleamed ominously.
His icy voice reverberated throughout the chamber.
“Sword Demon Hakain, I have a task for you.”
Hakain immediately gripped the hilt of his sword.
Ilea’s cold voice rang out.
“Are you going to draw it again?”
Hakain could not bring himself to unsheathe his sword.
Mapheltan crouched down in front of him.
“Teach me swordsmanship.”