The Villainous Lady Doesn't Speak Chapter 165

The Border Fortress 1

One afternoon, a smoke signal rose from the Kennys Border Margravate.

—Invasion from the neighboring country.

When he received the news, Margrave Hamilton Kennys was in his office, reading through his correspondence.

“So, they’ve come.”

“Yes, it would seem so.”

The margrave glanced at his nodding butler and let out a small sigh. It had been several days since he had received unsettling information from Maurice, the vice-captain of the Kennys Knights. It seemed the lords of the neighboring country favored swift action. But for the margrave, who had been keeping an eye on their movements, this latest move seemed far beyond their means.

“There’s no doubt the Empire is pulling the strings behind this.”

“Even if we were to make a formal inquiry, they would surely deny it.”

“That is certain. Emperor Calvin is not so foolish a man.”

And his close aides would not be so quick to admit it either. Even if the Kingdom of Slibegrad were to send an envoy to condemn this blunder, the emperor would feign ignorance. He would express his regret, claiming the border lords acted on their own, and offer up their heads to settle the matter.

But there was no doubt that this battle was intended to chip away at the military strength of the margravate.

“To swear fealty even knowing they will be cast aside. If I recall, he was a man who had only recently been appointed lord.”

“Yes. Though it is only a temporary appointment until a formal margrave is decided, I believe he was a baron. It seems the former lord lost a power struggle. Perhaps that is why he is so desperate for achievements.”

The man, who had served the margrave faithfully for many years as his butler, was not one to mince words. The margrave, accustomed to this, let a small smile escape.

“In terms of sheer military might, the enemy forces are no match for our Kennys Knights. But the presence of a mage is what concerns me.”

“Indeed.”

The information Maurice had reported suggested the presence of a mage among the neighboring lord’s forces.

A large river flowed along the border. The current was swift, making it impossible to cross by normal means. Of course, there was no convenient bridge. So, as a test, they had used a large ballista to fire a massive arrow toward the Kennys Border Margravate. It was surmised that in the actual battle, they intended to create a makeshift bridge using a rope tied to such an arrow. But, of course, a bridge like that would not be enough to get infantry and cavalry across. Magical assistance would be essential. A mage capable of such a feat would have to be quite skilled. In other words, if that mage were to join the battle, the chances of the Kennys Knights achieving an easy victory would be greatly diminished.

“Can you send a message to the capital?”

“Of course, my lord. How many mages shall we request?”

The competent butler, understanding his master’s intentions perfectly, asked without a moment’s hesitation. The margrave narrowed his eyes slightly in thought, then a grin spread across his face as an idea struck him.

“Two.”

The butler’s eyes widened slightly.

“My lord?”

“Do as you see fit. But write that the danger is somewhat… exaggerated.”

“—As you wish.”

The butler, who had looked surprised, nodded, a look of amusement in his eyes rather than protest. He then left the room to send the message to the capital. The margrave, left alone, set aside the letter he had been reading.

Only a few days ago, he had received information that Ben Draco and Petra Muirulainen had been reinstated to the Ministry of Magic. He knew that the influential figures in the Ministry found the two of them bothersome. That was why he had been surprised that Ben Draco’s indefinite suspension had been lifted after three years. There were surely those within the Ministry who wondered why now, of all times.

“Well, it’s certainly a stroke of luck for us. If I exaggerate the situation, they’ll surely send those two.”

If he made it seem like no big deal, they would undoubtedly send some useless mage with an ulterior motive of currying favor with the margrave. But if he made it sound life-threatening, Director Nicholas Bergson would surely send Ben and Petra. Those with only selfish motives would not willingly go to their deaths.

A playful smile touched the margrave’s lips, but it quickly faded, replaced by a serious expression.

“—But I cannot afford to underestimate the enemy.”

The border lords would not have planned an invasion if they had no chance of winning. They must have their own calculations for victory, but the margrave had yet to figure out what they were. He had told Maurice to be vigilant, but should he himself head to the border? The margrave frowned, his eyes drawn to the staff propped against his desk.

＊＊＊＊＊

Ben Draco and Petra Muirulainen arrived at the mansion in the Kennys Border Margravate two days after the margrave had sent his request. The margrave smiled in satisfaction at the arrival of the very people he had expected. He greeted the two in the reception room and gestured for them to sit on the sofa opposite him.

“Welcome. It has been a long time, Ben Draco-dono, Muirulainen-dono.”

This particular skirmish was taking place at the border, so the mansion, located some distance away, was largely unaffected. However, as they were in a state of war, the mansion was filled with a sense of tension. Guards and knights strode about, and the maids wore anxious expressions. On their way from the gate to the reception room, Ben and Petra had seen a servant carrying provisions for storage.

And the margrave himself, though still suffering from paralysis in his left side, was clad in battle attire. Despite this, his expression was as composed as ever.

“It has been a while,” Ben said, bowing his head in greeting to the margrave. Petra bowed beside him. Perhaps because of the local custom of promoting talented individuals regardless of whether they were “northern immigrants” or commoners, Petra was not subjected to discriminatory looks in this domain. The margrave himself welcomed her as he would any other guest. Feeling slightly awkward about this, Petra stood a step behind Ben. Formal settings like this were more Ben’s forte than hers.

Ben got straight to the point.

“What is the situation at the border?”

“I have left it to Maurice. As you can see, I am in this state.”

The “state” the margrave referred to was indicated by his staff. The margrave, who had been on the brink of death after an assassination attempt some three years ago, had been left with paralysis in his left side. Though he had been told he would likely never recover, he was now able to move on his own with the help of a staff. While he was making a miraculous recovery, it was still difficult for him to live as he once had.

Ben and Petra nodded with solemn faces. But seeing the margrave’s calm demeanor, they surmised that the situation at the border was not so dire. Of course, he might just be putting on a brave face, but it seemed there was no need to rush to the battlefield in a panic. The margrave, seemingly unconcerned, continued.

“But reports are coming in constantly. I was thinking of heading to the border fortress with you two once you arrived.”

“Together, my lord?”

Ben’s eyes widened in surprise. He hadn’t thought the margrave, who was not in perfect health, would accompany them. But the margrave nodded calmly.

“I told Maurice I would cede the position of captain of the Kennys Knights to him, but he still refuses, saying he is not needed. The battlefield is not the place to be without a captain.”

“—Please, my lord, confine yourself to giving orders from the rear this time.”

The butler, who had been silent until now, interjected. The margrave’s mouth immediately set into a thin line. Seeing his expression, the butler let out a theatrical sigh. Ben, surmising that they had had a similar argument before he and Petra arrived, gave a wry smile.

“It would not satisfy me to merely command from the rear.”

“If you were to lead the charge in your current state, my lord, our army would be defeated.”

“I know.”

The margrave replied bitterly. Emotion aside, his reason must have accepted it. He muttered under his breath that he had wanted to cede the captaincy to Maurice for that very reason, looking more like a cantankerous old man than a seasoned warrior. Petra blinked, but Ben, his tone as calm as ever, asked, “When shall we depart, then?”

“Did you bring a teleportation circle?”

“Yes.”

Ben and Petra had both used teleportation circles to get to the mansion in the Kennys Border Margravate. The margrave must have deduced their means of travel the moment they arrived with only their luggage and no horses or carriage. He showed no surprise when Ben answered that he had a teleportation circle. Instead, he fell silent, a difficult expression on his face. As the two of them tilted their heads in confusion, the margrave looked at them with an unreadable expression. He asked, not as a question, but as a confirmation.

“The Ministry of Magic did not provide you with transportation.”

“No, well,” Ben nodded, as if it were no big deal. In reality, the lack of a horse or carriage was not a problem for them. In fact, considering the hassle of returning them and arranging for lodging along the way, it was nothing but a nuisance. But the margrave let out a sigh, a hint of irritation in his voice.

“It seems there are no decent people left in the Ministry of Magic.”

His low voice was chillingly cold. But the margrave quickly suppressed his menacing aura and nodded. “Very well.”

“In that case, we shall depart as soon as preparations are complete. You will need some rest, will you not?”

“I would be grateful for the time to have a cup of tea,” Ben replied honestly. Petra had no objection either. Though they had traveled in several jumps using teleportation circles, they wanted to recover as much of their mana and stamina as possible before heading to the battlefield. And there was another reason they wanted to delay their departure.

“Your Excellency, there is one more thing I must tell you,” Ben began. The margrave, who had instructed his butler to prepare tea, turned only his eyes to Ben. Ben met his questioning gaze head-on. Prompted silently, Ben calmly relayed the information he had received just a few hours ago.

“There is another who wishes to offer you their assistance.”

“Assistance, you say?”

The margrave frowned suspiciously. Ben nodded.

“I received a message from a certain noble person who wishes to honor the feelings of a retainer who wants to rush to the aid of their comrades in crisis.”

“—What?”

The furrow between the margrave’s brows deepened.

Ben and Petra had received the message the moment they were preparing the teleportation circle for their final jump. They had been flustered, not expecting the communication magic stone to light up, but they were even more astonished by the content of the message. For a while, uncharacteristically for them, they had been at a loss for words, but there was no doubt that this was a powerful ally. Still, they couldn’t shake the feeling of surprise.

—To think she would offer to help.

He had wondered what had gotten into her, but the reason she had given had only deepened the mystery. It was true that she was not unkind. But she was not the type to cherish all things like a saint either. For better or worse, she was rational and logical. She had a detached attitude for her age, and a tendency to judge everything by reason. That was why he couldn’t shake the feeling that the reason she had given—“I want to help, respecting the feelings of a retainer who wants to rush to the aid of their comrades in crisis”—was an afterthought.

In fact, it would have felt more natural to hear later that she had simply told her retainer to do as they pleased and left them to it.

“Who on earth would—?”

It was no wonder the margrave was bewildered. This border incursion was, at its core, a skirmish between local lords, and must not become a war between nations. That meant the military force had to be supplied by the Kennys Border Margravate. They had had no choice but to request the dispatch of mages from the Ministry of Magic, but just in case, they had made the reason for the summons something other than war. Of course, they had phrased it in a way that would make it easy to guess, in order to get Ben and Petra dispatched, but it was worded in such a way that they could make excuses even if the Empire complained.

Just as Ben was about to answer, a discreet knock echoed on the door. The margrave, his eyes narrowing for a moment, gave permission to enter, and a maid peeked in timidly. Normally, the butler would have announced them, but it seemed he had been busy.

“What is it?”

“Um, Your Excellency—is now a good time?”

“What is it?”

The maid swallowed hard. Cowering under the gaze of three people, she slowly but clearly announced that there was a visitor.

“My lady—Lady Marianne has arrived, with a mercenary.”

She’s here, Ben and Petra relaxed their shoulders. And the margrave, hearing the unexpected name, stared in utter astonishment.

—-

ToC

Chapter 166