CH 87

Hah hah ha.

The Beast is running with a tongue hanging out.

"H-Hiiiii!"

And the scream of a man convulsed with fear.

Then it dies out, and only the Beast's breathing remains in the forest.

--How can that idiot call himself an Intelligence agent?

He almost frowns at the unprofessional tone.

However, his  "shaking" is also unsuitable for professionals.

The person tries to hold his breath and let the beast pass him by. It is all right. By using that guy as bait, I had sufficient leeway. 

Using "concealment", his back is against the trunk of a tree.

The combination of【silence】, 【Eliminate odor】, "blocking presence", 【light foot】, etc........

Skills are those abilities that are developed through the imprinting of a technique. In this world, skill is not something that is either awakened on its own or given by others. It is simply something that is imprinted in the body through repeated practice and training. It is only when it can be activated instantly that it is considered a skill, as well as having a prestigious status.

For this reason, although the "concealment" skill can be used by any person, its level of performance varies from person to person even if they are of the same rank, it's all depending on the individual's strengths and weaknesses. For example, some may have perfected 【silence】 but not in 【Eliminate odor】 some only excel in "blocking presence".

The same was true for the "Chicken Sense" owned by Desmond, the lord of some remote domain. It is unfortunate that he named it "Chicken Sense". it is a result of his temperament. His "magic circuits" which he thinks have become too stiff due to his reckless and careless use of lopsided magic since he was a child, with the stupid amount of his magic power (really stupid amount) that has grown to an unimaginable degree because of it. Then there is his capability of perceiving danger, crisis, mental acumen, resignation, etc.........which were trained every day by the result of Randolph putting his eyes on him all the time since he was a child. 

It is a unique skill that has been developed by these things.

However, the "crisis" that he perceives is not something that he consciously realizes, but something that is subconscious or "doomed" to occur, and sometimes it slips through deliberately or is triggered at the very last moment so that even if he escapes physical death, he cannot escape something like social death... --But let's not dwell on that.

A man has infiltrated the Aldora territory as a secret agent. The "concealment" of that person is...

―exceptional.

He had mastered all possible techniques and methods that comprise the art of stealth. Even among his peers, it would be impossible for anyone but a very high-ranking person to detect it.

--Or It was supposed to.

Now, the person was struggling to suppress his own emotional "turbulence."

Never thought that his own emotions could be constantly overwhelmed.

The man is pensive.

--What the hell is that?

He had heard rumors but never imagined anything to this scale.

《Gray Hound》

When the war with the empire continues to skirmish. It is said that he is a legendary mercenary who appears out of nowhere and brings victory to his allies and despair to his enemies. His origins are unknown, and rumors say that he is the illegitimate son of a certain heretical aristocrat, that he is an arising monster, or that he is the ultimate trump card of some secret force.......

At some point, he became the servant of a third-rate noble family with a short history, the Viscounts of Damwead, who can barely survive on the backs of other families. That is why Damwead's reputation was lambasted as having been bitten by the hounds rather than recruited him.

As evidence of this, the 《Gray Hound》 did not engage in combat or even counterintelligence but worked as a caretaker, the escort for the third son, who was also called "Damwead's Heretic." acting as a butler. Since his arrival in Aldora, I have heard that he has been doing an excellent job as a chief butler.

The man retired. He will likely spend the rest of his life with the Damwead's Heretic, whom he seems to be fond of for some reason. The hound has already declined. Such rumors were whispered about. But some, who had dispatched agents to Aldora just in case, were appalled.

The Gray Hound's fangs were neither broken nor whittled down. Rather, they have become sharper, more covert, and ferocious.

Every agent who was released into Aldora was chased back.

No one knows how or why they were exposed. Even his "memory wipe" was flawless.

It was whispered that the 《Gray Hound》 was lurking behind the scenes, but no evidence was ever found. Not even a single strand of hair on its tail remained.

Although it is speculated that something is lurking within the hound's fangs, but nothing can be done to confirm this.

But why would a man like 《Gray Hound》 follow a guy who is nothing but an outcast like "Damwead's Heretic"? A petty, undeserving nobleman who runs away when he sees a corpse on his first battle. Was that a bluff?　But even if it is a bluff--

--No one understand.

Furthermore, even if there is something going on in this territory, there is no indication that Baron Desmond Damwead is planning to cooperate with anyone. No matter how magically powerful a noble may be, there is a limit to what he can do alone.

Moreover, it was also recognized that it was against the pride of the nobility to get involved with the "Damwead's Heretic". Moreover, according to the information he had managed to obtain, he was also smitten with the daughter of the Count of Terrace, the woman who had been given to him in marriage as his collar. He was preparing his domain and devoting his energies to her.

And that worked out wonderfully. She was worthless in aristocratic society as a barren woman, but she was more than adequate as a deadweight to hold the small-time noble down.

As far as they were concerned, that was enough scheming against him.

Those were the general assumptions. That is why, although intelligence agents were sent to investigate and obtain information, their activities were kept rather low-key.

Aldora, despite being ruled by the Damwead's Heretic, Baron Desmond Damwead, was also under the protection of the legendary mercenary Randolph Steiner, the Gray Hound. And the fact that he was married to Charlotte Terrace remained. No matter how often she was labeled as worthless, she was still the daughter of the old and venerable Count of Terrace, and her elder sister was comparable to the Gray Hound, the 《Platinum Breaker 》---Because of all that, despite the old saying that if you plug your nose, the stench will be gone,--  Aldora has become an untouchable, impenetrable area.

And later, there was Liz Bergamot, the fourth daughter of the Count of Bergamot. With her ability, character, and appearance, even though she was expelled from the <Royal Capital>, why did she join him as is?

――What a stubborn and arrogant decision.

What is nobility if it does not have pride

Above all, that did not even consider what made him a "heretic" in the first place.

--and that is exactly why.

Hiding in the forest with "concealment" skill, the man tries his best to suppress the feelings that are threatening to well up once again. This person was ordered by his master to infiltrate Aldora.

This was because the other day he received unbelievable news.

--Charlotte Terrace, the second daughter of the House of Terrace, the current eldest daughter, was pregnant.

The noble society was suddenly all aflame, and the wind was blowing fast.

If it is true that she was conceived, her pregnancy could be a sign of the kingdom's internal struggle against a common enemy, the empire. The aristocratic circle, which had apparently been maintaining a balance without any turbulence, had been hit not just a stone, but by a mass of landslides.

Actually, what Desmond put out was not a landslide, but cloudy white mud.

Whatever color it was, it didn't matter if it was still murky and viscous.

If it were true, the situation between Count Terrace and Marquis Swift would be completely reversed. Surprisingly, the Swift family began to push unreasonable demands on the Terrace family, claiming that they had received the ultimate insult.

It was the new head of the Swift family who blamed women for his own incompetence. However women are regarded in noble society only as tools for bearing children, it is outrageous for a nobleman to blame women for his own failure. --It would be fine if it were a commoner woman, one could say that a nobleman's illegitimate child would never dwell in a commoner, but it was the daughter of the old and venerable Count of Terrace, so it was not a good idea to blame the woman for the crime.

Furthermore, the various expedients and unreasonable demands that were thrust upon them in order to take advantage of the situation could be taken as a conspiracy by the Swift family to bring down Terrace.

Even though they have lost power because of the incident with Charlotte, the Terrace family is considered "old" even in aristocratic circles, where respect for blood is paramount. Their ties go beyond the ranks of the nobility. And there are family members that have left the faction that got infuriated by Charlotte's incident, like Charlotte's elder sister that has been given the title 《Platinum Breaker 》. But if - what if - they can finally strike Swift properly this time?

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. The upper-class society is a whirlpool of scheming and plotting. It would not be surprising if the number of distant relatives increased like when someone won the lottery in Desmond's previous life.

No one among them would trust turning the tables, but even so, showing them the bait and putting their hands and feet in shackles would at least help them add to their numbers.

Besides, Desmond was actually admired by the lower-class nobles secretly. Many of the lords had improved their barren and desolate territories because of his agricultural reformation ideas. They could not publicly support Desmond, but if Charlotte was indeed conceived, then she was not merely a weight stone for Desmond anymore, but a "legitimate" link between the Viscount of Damwead and the Count of Terrace in a political marriage. --and it does now.

They could even support Desmond openly, who "rightfully" had the backing of the old family.

This would lead to the formation of a new major faction.

Moreover, even the fourth daughter of the Count of Bergamot, albeit as a Parliamentary official, is now living with him. When Charlotte is no longer a dead weight, her being another "backing" is also...... not entirely impossible.

Even if the Marquis is the higher ranking title, if it is true that Charlotte was conceived, then he is a scoundrel who disgraced the poor second daughter of Terrace. A house that is not worthy of the nobility. There is no justifiable excuse for them. Moreover, if they have forced the Count of Terrace to accept unreasonable demands and favors, there will be no mercy left for them. Asking for help from other houses will be difficult.

As for the Marquis of Swift, the way to overcome this difficulty is to first narrow their shoulders by eliminating the pressure. They remain quiet until the dust settles. Like a politician in Desmond's previous life who fell ill at the perfect time and was taken in and out of the hospital at opportune moments. That is probably one of the best strategies.

Although Desmond was able to impregnate Charlotte by shagging her beyond the bounds of common sense, physical physiology, and the world, it was also true that Charlotte had been unable to conceive even though he had many children with his concubine. If Swift acts mature enough, he can hardly be blamed for this.　　

But unlike some political figures who have no ethics and no shame, Swift is an honorable man. --No, he was a nobleman, in fact, too much of a proper nobleman. When Desmond proved with his own body that Charlotte was not a sterile woman. It was like he punched Peter squarely and squarely in the face and spat on him.

It is also the fact that Lady Charlotte did not let Lord Desmond sleep for seven days and nights. Katherine may be no different in that regard, but in her case, her stamina for that kind of stuff doesn't last that long.

The Marquis of Swift, the Viscount Damwead, and the third son of the Viscount, Baron Desmond Damwead who was locked up in a remote place such as "Aldora" for some political reasons.

There is no way that an overly upright nobility can overlook this.

The nobles' struggle was inevitable.

What a magnificent chain reaction.

Starts with Lord Desmond that simply did his best to do something lewd to the woman he loved.

And so, Peter Swift, Charlotte's ex-husband, gets insulted in the most extreme way possible.

Who could feel sympathy for him?

However, there is someone like him in Aldora Territory, an intelligence agent, a spy, and even an assassin that targeted Charlotte and Desmond. Once the originator of the fact of her pregnancy is gone, the spark will be extinguished before it becomes an ember. This is why they are sending them one after another. By Various nobles, factions, and individuals. Some of them may even come from other countries to take advantage of the situation.

They are the best of the best.

The legendary mercenary, Gray Hound. Randolph Steiner, chief butler, knight-errant, and now a quasi-nobleman to whom Desmond has entrusted his (magic) sword, is beating his old bones - or perhaps he is just rejuvenating them! He is so gleeful that he seems to be turning young again.

He is a handsome man who does not let even a single cat child pass him by.

"Hoho, there you are!"

He said to the one who was hiding in the forest.

It was an appealing voice.

It sounded as if it was an old-aged scotch.

At the far end of his gaze――the assassin is now facing,

――the Gray Hound.