Chapter: 13
―Click.
As the office door closed, Dielo slowly blinked, opening and closing his eyes.
Unlike before, his cold gaze swept over the place where the contract had been.
―Thud, thud.
He tapped the desk, and Rick entered the office silently.
His face was light, as if he already knew what to do.
“Shall I pursue them?”
Dielo gestured to him.
“Yes. The one who just left… no, the one swayed by Kartiel—pursue them.”
Mirta.
He smiled coldly.
Turning to look out the window, he continued.
“They’ll keep an eye on Argentia for a while. If they try to contact Kartiel, report it immediately.”
He would handle it personally.
He ignited a small flame at his fingertips and then extinguished it.
“Yes, understood.”
Despite the harsh order, Rick answered cheerfully and disappeared once more.
Dielo didn’t pay attention to the man’s reaction.
He knew exactly what kind of person the current head of intelligence for Argentia was.
Mirta would now be completely under Argentia’s watch.
She would be monitored even more closely than when she was merely within Argentia’s domain.
“Confidence that it will succeed, huh.”
Dielo gave a faint smile.
He recalled what Crua had said earlier.
‘They can’t even betray easily. They need to feel certain of success.’
His smile deepened.
“That’s right, Crua. Those who pride themselves on their intelligence won’t betray unless they are convinced of success.”
―Screeech.
The sound of a chair being pulled echoed unusually in the office.
He slowly approached the window and gazed at the carriage leaving the mansion in the distance.
“But they do have that confidence.”
He whispered as if Crua might hear him.
The current head of the house seemed unable to properly control their abilities.
Pero of the Aloje family had entered a situation as precarious as a candle in the wind.
Moreover… that Pero was fake, and for a while, Argentia would be manipulated by Aloje.
Even if the head had deliberately arranged a contract marriage with the fake Pero, there were surely those who saw the situation as unstable.
No one knew when the real Pero would arrive.
Naturally, there would be those trying to escape.
And Argentia’s rules did not forgive such people.
It was time to weed them out.
“Urgent news, Your Highness.”
At that moment, there was a hurried knock at the office door.
As Dielo tugged the cord to signal entry, a knight entered and kneeled, bowing deeply.
“There is unusual activity reported in Sector 4 of the Infinite Sea.”
“…Sector 4?”
After the previous Sector 3, now Sector 4. He narrowed his eyes.
“The field commander, Radeus, requests Your Highness’ deployment.”
“…!”
At those words, Dielo was genuinely surprised for the first time in a long while.
Radeus, the administrator there, was someone he knew well.
He had been instrumental in Dielo, who had lost his parents, rising to this position. He was also his uncle.
And he was cautious by nature.
For someone like him to request a deployment personally meant the situation was more serious than expected.
Dielo quickly grabbed his coat.
That afternoon.
It was said that Dielo had left suddenly for deployment.
“Without any prior notice?”
I was slightly taken aback.
Even for minor matters, he usually told me beforehand, but this time, there was apparently no time at all.
“Yes. There seems to be a problem in Sector 4.”
Piele, who had been teaching me about the mistress’s duties, replied.
I paused as I took the documents she handed me.
“You mean the Infinite Sea, right?”
“Yes.”
Piele glanced out the window.
From here, the sea was clearly visible in the distance.
Of course, the monsters and dangerous creatures there weren’t visible.
“It seems the previous large-scale raid still worries him.”
No matter how gentle or seemingly weak he appeared, he was a head of house born with strong abilities.
It was unlikely he would be injured by monsters.
“Still, he’ll return safely…”
I took the documents about Argentia’s affairs again.
The title on the file was simple.
“…‘Shadow’?”
As I flipped through the pages, I learned it was one of the traditions that had existed alongside the magical contracts since the beginning of Argentia.
While I read the lengthy explanation, Piele summarized briefly.
“‘Shadows’ are those who deliver goods to the families of those who died performing Argentia’s missions.”
“Oh…”
I could say with certainty—this did not exist in Aloje.
As I turned the page, my gaze settled on one entry.
[Additional Shadows Assigned This Quarter]
The name written below.
“Roa…”
It was Roa, who had been called a criminal.
It was said they were buried near the sea so they could continue guarding the Infinite Sea.
This person’s family would also receive support from the Shadows.
“His Highness specifically instructed that Roa’s efforts to burn himself out to stabilize the site until the end be taken into special consideration.”
Noticing my surprise, Piele explained.
I smiled softly.
“I thought so.”
Piele, who looked like she was about to respond, said nothing.
“Piele?”
When I looked back, she finally spoke.
I clearly saw a fleeting, strange expression cross her face.
“…Families receiving support from Shadows can live without worrying about sustenance, unlike regular subjects. Many Argentia people are satisfied with that.”
“Argentia… unlike regular subjects?”
I raised an eyebrow slightly.
I had assumed not all subjects would receive such support.
Probably the ‘Argentia’ Piele referred to were those working in the Argentia mansion.
If some received special treatment, wouldn’t that create a disparity among the subjects?
But the statistics told a different story.
Loyalty to the Argentia main house was higher than in any territory.
In fact, parents often taught their children about Argentia early, hoping they would become Argentia themselves.
“Then what are the requirements to become Argentia?”
At my question, Piele ignited a small flame at her fingertip.
Naturally, it was the flame controlled by Argentia.
“This ability. I’ve heard that Aloje and Kartiel also have retainers in their manors with abilities specific to their houses…”
She tilted her head as if questioning me.
I nodded.
“That’s right. Even in Aloje’s mansion, people who can manipulate water mostly work there. But the atmosphere is different.”
Not everyone in the Aloje mansion had water manipulation abilities.
Even if someone didn’t have innate abilities, the head could grant them, but no head would willingly give a portion of their power.
Especially not the greedy Aloje duke.
I tilted my head as I flipped through the pages.
“Even those without abilities work in the mansion… and there’s no such thing as Shadows or contracts.”
This was clearly a tradition unique to Argentia.
Piele smiled softly at my words.
“That’s probably why Argentia’s atmosphere differs from the other two houses.”
She pointed to a section of the documents.
It detailed the welfare for those who became ‘Argentia’ in the mansion.
Not only did the families of those who became Argentia receive Shadow support,
but Argentia families could choose to live anywhere within Argentia territory, in buildings exclusive to Argentia or elsewhere.
Moreover, the monthly stipend given to an Argentia was equivalent to a year’s living expenses for a common household.
“Oh…”
These policies would enhance Argentia’s honor within the territory while greatly increasing loyalty and sense of belonging.
At that moment.
―Thud, thud!
A hurried knock sounded.
But this was my office, not Dielo’s.
Someone urgently seeking me out?
“What is it?”
I asked a bit loudly, and the door clicked open.
“Excuse me, milady.”
His clothes were disheveled.
Every inch of him—hair, trousers—was covered in dust.
He must have just arrived on horseback.
“They are requesting additional troops in Sector 4.”
“What?”
My eyes widened.
“Dielo should already be there.”
The person capable of using Argentia’s power most strongly in this territory was Dielo Argentia.
Yet they still needed support?
“The Head of House gave the order personally.”
I widened my eyes further.
“…Ah.”
Piele looked surprised as well, but my shock was of a different kind.
After Crua Aloje and Dielo Argentia married,
and just before the real Pero arrived at this mansion, an incident occurred.
In Sector 4, Radeus Argentia would go berserk and die.
It was clearly just before that incident.
I fixed my gaze on the knight.
