------------------
HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
------------------
Chapter 32: The Forsaken
Dreihart, now freed from Calyx’s rule, was brimming with life once again.
The serfs, now freedmen, were able to work wherever they chose and were paid fairly for their labor.
No longer bound by the agonizing purple iron shackles, they walked freely—meeting with family and friends without fear.
The new dueling tournament—UFC, created by Calyx—had become the pride of the new Dreihart.
Spectators from all across the Empire flocked to witness it, and the champion of the arena earned immense prize money and glory, becoming the ultimate aspiration of every Dreihart warrior.
But even in a transformed Dreihart, where there was light—there was also darkness.
During the uprising in Dreihart, many slaves had died.
But so had a number of nobles.
A few of them, however, managed to escape underground.
And they waited—gritting their teeth in resentment, vowing to exact revenge a hundred, no, a thousandfold when the Empire eventually came to crush the rebellion.
But what they ended up witnessing was beyond anything they had imagined.
Calyx Cron, the one who had seized Dreihart, freed every slave.
He seized the assets of the noble class, using his governing authority, and then redistributed them for the benefit of the freed slaves and Dreihart as a whole.
The surviving nobles were, of course, outraged.
They tried to take legal action—filing complaints against Calyx Cron with the Platinum Council.
But it was already too late.
They themselves had acknowledged Calyx’s authority as governor, and the Platinum Council had accepted ‘mountains’ of bribes from him.
Now that their power base—slavery—was gone, their words held no weight.
And just like that, Dreihart’s nobles had fallen overnight—reduced to a status even lower than that of former slaves.
The people of Dreihart, now free citizens, pointed at them and spat out the name—
"Forsaken."
But did they quietly accept the collapse of their lives?
Did they reflect on their past?
Not at all.
Late at night, deep within the hidden waterways of Dreihart, figures in hoods began to gather.
They sent a signal at a door known only to nobles—a secret room hidden from the world.
Knock—Knock—
When they tapped the wall, a tiny hidden slot opened.
A single eye peered through the slit, examining the cloaked figures.
Then came the code.
“The slaves?”
“Belong to us.”
Creaaak—
The door opened.
Inside was a concealed chamber, and within it sat the remnants of Dreihart’s fallen nobility.
At the center of the room sat a rat-faced man—the former steward of Dreihart, Jeton.
“Everyone’s here. Then let’s begin the meeting.”
At his words, they took seats around the worn-down table.
Stripped of power and titles, they had gone underground, clinging to the shadows.
They held meetings on a regular basis, plotting revenge.
Though truthfully—about 90% of those ‘meetings’ were just them venting their rage and bitterness.
“Those loathsome slave bastards started remodeling my home today! Said they’re converting it so other filthy ex-slaves can live there!!”
“Same with our estate!!”
The mansions of the nobility were being repurposed—converted into housing for the newly freed commoners.
To see their once-proud homes torn apart for the sake of slaves infuriated them.
“Are we really going to just sit here and take this, Jeton!?”
“He’s right! I can’t take this any longer!!”
All eyes turned to Jeton, the former steward of Dreihart.
He curled his lips into a grin.
“Of course we’re not just going to take it. I’ve already come up with a way.”
“Ohh! As expected from the lord’s right hand, Steward Jeton.”
“So, what’s your plan?”
The fallen nobles leaned in, ears sharpened.
Jeton, wearing his usual rat-like expression, didn’t bother to hide his grin as he spoke.
“We kill Calyx, the Silver Dragon of Cron—the so-called Lord of Dreihart.”
“What!?”
“Is that even possible?”
The other nobles were stunned.
Of course ‘they’ wanted Calyx dead. Every last one of them did.
But they also knew—it wasn’t going to be easy.
“Are you thinking of hiring assassins?”
“Rumor is, that bastard took out those assassins from the Bloodkin—the ones who killed our mages. Took down three of them. Alone.”
If they scraped together every last coin, they could maybe afford to hire one or two hitmen.
But according to the whispers, Calyx had killed 3 top-tier assassins without breaking a sweat.
If they really wanted to ensure the kill, they’d need more. A lot more.
“Who said anything about using assassins?”
“Then what are you going to use to kill him?”
Jeton then revealed the ‘secret weapon’ he had prepared.
When the nobles heard it—their faces went pale.
“You’re seriously going to use ‘that’!?”
“If that thing is discovered, we’re all dead!! Every last one of us!!”
“So what? Are you planning to just keep living like this!!!!?”
Jeton’s plan was so extreme, so reckless, that even these utterly desperate nobles were shaken.
But Jeton snapped, more enraged than before.
“So what, you’d rather rot away like this!?”
The room went silent.
Of course none of them ‘wanted’ to keep living like this. Not like this.
“No matter what it takes, I’ll kill that sanctimonious ‘King of Liberation,’ Calyx Cron. And I’ll take back ‘everything’ that was mine.
“Anyone who doesn’t want in—walk out that door right now. Go back to waiting to die in the streets like a dog.”
Jeton threw open the meeting room’s door and stood beside it, daring anyone to leave.
A long silence followed. The nobles glanced at each other.
But deep down, they all knew.
This was their only chance.
An older noble, seemingly the eldest among them, walked over and quietly shut the door.
“What do you need us to prepare, Jeton?”
That night, the Forsaken made their vow—
To kill the King of Liberation.
＊ ＊ ＊
——————————
…It seems there’s a conspiracy at work.
We’re currently investigating with Zarha and will deal with those scoundrels as soon as possible.
Still, to be safe, it’s necessary to increase security around Your Lordship for the time being.
Please take care of yourself, my lord.
—From Treasurer, Nova
——————————
The letter from Nova contained vivid information—as if she had witnessed it herself.
Did she watch it through surveillance cameras?
How could she describe everything so vividly?
While I was pondering that, Azelle, who stood before me, tapped her chest lightly and spoke.
“Don’t worry! I will protect Your Lordship’s safety with unwavering vigilance.”
“Th-Thank you, Azelle.”
She spoke like I was the only person she could trust in the whole damn world.
Ever since that farming-as-mental-discipline thing, her justice obsession had mellowed out.
But now? It was like the pendulum had swung too far the other way.
She followed me everywhere. Like, borderline stalker levels.
A bodyguard’s job is to do just that, but Azelle’s level of sticking to me was excessive—she even followed me to the bathroom.
Just as I started getting a headache imagining she’d follow me even more, Lana spoke up.
“If our Lord’s safety requires more attention, I will not leave your side starting today.”
“What!?”
Lana, with her usual blunt expression, dropped that bombshell casually.
Lately, seeing Azelle following me nonstop, I’d noticed Lana seemed oddly competitive.
Nope. That look! She’s 100% feeling it.
“Don’t worry. Lana, Our Lord’s safety will be ironclad with me.”
“But just in case, a perfect maid like me should also be here.”
“No, it’s fine—Azelle, the Knight of the Moonlight, is enough!”
Sparks flew between Lana and Azelle.
If this kept up, it was about to turn into a cat fight, when Hart stepped in.
“Now, now, let’s calm down.”
“Steward Hart.”
“Yes, Hart.”
Hart slipped between them and gently smoothed things over.
“As Nova said, since the situation might be dangerous, it would be best if both of you accompany our Lord for now.”
“If Steward Hart says so, I’ll obey.”
“Me too!”
Lana bowed her head to obey her great-grandfather Hart’s will.
Azelle, who valued rank, also obeyed without a word to Steward Hart.
Hart’s decades-long experience as steward was no joke.
But this… isn’t this just going to make my life harder?
My prediction was spot on.
From then on, Lana and Azelle never left my side—not even for a moment.
Of course, they followed me whenever I left the office or the castle grounds.
Even during meals, they stayed glued beside me.
They began sleeping in the room next to mine.
And they even followed me to the bathroom.
Normally, the bathroom was my only chance for some peaceful alone time.
But Lana and Azelle came inside and watched me.
“Lana, Azelle, do you really have to come in?”
“My Lord, people are most vulnerable when sleeping, eating, or bathing. We must always be prepared for any threat.”
“Lana’s right! There could be unforeseen danger!”
At times like this, they were perfectly in sync.
When I thought I couldn’t relax even in the bath, Lana said—
“If it’s uncomfortable for you that we’re fully clothed in the bathroom, I will strip right now.”
“T-That’s what’s been bothering you?! I’ll strip right now!!”
“Stop! Stop! Just keep guarding me as you are!”
I hurriedly stopped Lana from stripping and Azelle who had already started, and ended my uncomfortable bath under their watchful eyes.
Just as I hoped this ordeal would be over soon, the incident happened.
------------------
HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
------------------
