I Became the Hero While Paving a Flower Path for My Niece - Chapter 60

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Cousin’s Flower Path · Episode 60
Klaus Brodell did not ask the Knight if this was correct; instead, his expression hardened further as he continued reading the remaining documents.
“…What is this?”
There were facts he had not known.
Every single Mana Stone from the lowest-tier dungeons entrusted to Domeric Brodell—not a single one missing—had been purchased by the Count’s House merchant company at prices below market rate.
Moreover, through commissions to the Mercenary Guild, they had been purchasing low-tier Mana Stones at expensive prices from other territories as well.
The scale was impossible for Domeric Brodell’s personal wealth.
“How did I not notice until now?”
“The Accountant accepted a bribe from the second young master’s servant.”
Since the Accountant had taken the bribe and altered the ledgers, it was understandable that Klaus Brodell, who received the reports, would not have known.
The Knight continued.
“And it appears someone has been providing the second young master with funds and lending him personnel.”
Of course.
Given that this had been happening for months without incident, there must have been enough money and people behind the scenes to keep it quiet.
“…Domeric.”
Klaus Brodell read through the documents again, several times over.
Why?
He could not even ask that question, for Klaus Brodell knew well what transpired within noble houses.
He had simply thought to himself that such things would never happen within his own beloved family.
‘Brother!’
The image of a younger Domeric flashed through his mind.
Abrasive though he was, he loved his family….
‘…Or so I thought.’
The cold gaze that Domeric Brodell sometimes displayed came to mind.
‘I assumed his disposition had sharpened because his Circle had not grown.’
Klaus Brodell looked out the window with darkened eyes. His mind was turbulent.
How could he tell Grandfather and Marylene about this? And how should he handle the matter itself?
If he buried this incident, Domeric Brodell might commit another transgression. Not only Klaus himself, but Grandfather and Marylene would be in danger.
‘Then….’
His heart grew heavy at the need to make a cold, ruthless decision.
“…For now, keep this secret from Grandfather and Marylene,”
Klaus Brodell commanded, closing and opening his eyes.
“Surveil Domeric. Watch who he meets and what he does. If he leaves the castle grounds, report it to me at once.”
“Yes. Understood.”
And not long after.
Past midnight.
Klaus Brodell, sleepless over the revelation that his younger brother was the perpetrator of the poisoning, heard someone knock on his door.
It was the Knight.
“The second young master has left the Laboratory and is moving outside.”
He hadn’t expected him to move so quickly.
‘Or rather, of course he would move quickly.’
With his servants apprehended, Domeric Brodell had no choice but to flee or appeal to his backer.
“Let’s follow him.”
Klaus Brodell wasted no time, donning his sword and armor before leaving his room.
“Shall I call the other knights?”
“…No. We’ll go alone.”
Klaus Brodell had not yet decided how to punish Domeric Brodell.
Furthermore, he needed to discover who Domeric Brodell’s backer was.
A larger group would be conspicuous; two would be ideal for following discreetly.
Klaus Brodell and the Knight quietly departed the Count’s Mansion and mounted their horses to track Domeric Brodell.
It was not difficult.
Unlike the Knight, whose trade was tracking monsters, Domeric Brodell was merely a mage who studied his craft.
Moreover, the secret passage Domeric Brodell had used was a route Klaus Brodell himself knew well.
Following the conspicuous traces, they arrived at a forest a short distance from the castle.
“…He came all the way out here?”
The forest saw few visitors, making it suitable for meeting someone suspicious, yet on the other hand, Klaus wondered if such a long journey was truly necessary just to meet someone.
Frowning, Klaus Brodell and the Knight searched for traces, moving about in different directions.
Trees blocked the moonlight from reaching the ground, making the traces difficult to see. Yet they could not use even a simple magical lantern—they would surely be discovered.
Then.
A sound of movement came from deeper within.
Klaus Brodell and the Knight held their breath, hands moving to draw their swords.
A small light soon appeared, illuminating the space around them.
Then the source of the footsteps became visible.
“…Alex? Dein?”
“Klaus.”
It was Alex, whom they’d seen just hours before.
* * *
A short while earlier.
After entrusting Leo to Jake and Milo, Alex studied the map Dein had handed him. It showed the areas they were scheduled to explore today.
“Here. These are places with few people around, similar to the direction we found at the Cemetery.”
[Impressive.]
[I never would’ve thought to backtrack from the Cemetery.]
That’s true enough.
After studying the map for a moment, Alex turned to Dein.
“Add another condition—places the suspect can easily reach from the Count’s Mansion.”
“The Count’s Mansion?”
“The suspected perpetrator lives there.”
[So it’s the Count’s House!]
“That’s easy enough.”
Dein quickly narrowed down the candidates on the map.
“All right. Let’s search.”
And so the search began.
“Ibek, extend your Mana Detection range as far as you can.”
[Got it!]
Clop-clop. Clop-clop.
Alex, mounted on Max, whispered so only Ibek could hear. The range of his detection expanded slightly, manageable without straining him.
“Nothing here either.”
“Then let’s move to the next location.”
While they were searching like this.
A Messenger Bird flew down to Dein.
“Domeric Brodell has left the Count’s Mansion and is heading south.”

After reading the note, Dein spoke, and Alex opened his mouth.

“Which of the candidate areas would Domeric Brodell be heading to?”
“You think Domeric Brodell is the kidnapper?”
“It’s a hypothesis.”
“Come to think of it, Domeric Brodell was a mage too. Poisonings, human experimentation… quite impressive.”

Dein, speaking through clenched teeth, unfolded the map and pointed to a location.

“This one’s got the highest probability.”
“Let’s head there.”

Whinny!
Alex and Dein’s party turned their horses around.

* * *
“Light.”
Just as before, Alex used Mana Detection while Dein’s group looked around with their eyes.
Then.
Alex’s Mana Detection picked up a new presence.
[Hm? On the surface?]
Not underground—on the surface.
He sensed two people with fairly strong Auras riding toward him on horseback.
[This seems like the eldest.]
[Why are they here?]
Perhaps they’d discovered who the poisoner was. If they’d figured out Domeric Brodell was the culprit, they’d likely followed in secret.
‘Good timing.’
Two more skilled Knights would be helpful in a fight.
Besides, if Klaus Brodell found out that his brother Domeric had dabbled in Dark Magic, there would be no need for further proof.
‘The problem is….’
He would have to protect his younger brother Domeric and become their enemy in the process.
A man of clear principles wouldn’t do such a thing, but no one could know how family might change one’s heart.
“Dein, let’s check over there.”
Still, we need to meet him.
If we kept rummaging around like this, Domeric Brodell might discover us.
“What’s over there?”
“No, there’s someone we need to meet.”
Alex led Dein’s group toward where Klaus Brodell was located, leaving them puzzled.
Clop-clop. Clop-clop.
At the sound of hoofbeats, Dein’s party grew a bit more cautious.
Neigh!
It seemed Klaus Brodell had spotted them as well.
[He’s tense.]
Alex cast Light ahead to illuminate their surroundings, and their faces became visible to each other.
“…Alex? Dein?”
“Klaus.”
Klaus Brodell dismounted, confused but courteous, and exchanged greetings with Alex’s group.
“And these people?”
“They’re employees from our tavern.”
“Ah, I see. Pleased to meet you.”
[That’s how it is.]
Ibek chuckled quietly at the sight of Klaus Brodell calmly greeting them, having recognized them as members of the Information Guild.
“But what brings you here?”
“Dein found a location where the person who created the Underground Space might be hiding. We’ve been exploring the area.”
Klaus Brodell’s eyes narrowed slightly at Alex’s words.
“…Is it nearby?”
“Yes. It’s one of our candidate locations.”
Klaus Brodell’s expression darkened at that answer.
‘…Domeric would be here.’
So tracking that Underground Space led to this forest?
Where Domeric is?
It fit together far too perfectly to be mere coincidence.
Klaus Brodell recalled the abducted residents of his territory—gaunt and looking as though they might collapse at any moment.
According to their accounts, not only they, but others who were severely injured or close to death had been dragged away to somewhere else.
‘He even tried to kill his own family….’
Killing people with no relation to him would be far easier.
Though Domeric Brodell hadn’t been confirmed as the culprit, Klaus Brodell’s instincts were telling him the truth.
His brother was the source of this incident.
“We’ll come with you.”
They were all residents of the Brodell Territory, after all.
And Klaus Brodell was a knight sworn to protect the weak, as well as the young lord responsible for defending the Brodell Territory and all who dwelt there.
He also bore responsibility for the crimes his family had committed.
“Very well.”
And so they gained two more reliable party members.
“But won’t such brightness give us away to the enemy?”
Klaus Brodell, now mounted and beginning to explore alongside them, pointed at the Light spell and asked.
“It’s fine. Alex’s magic is far superior.”
Dein spoke with pride.
“I’m not sure what kind of magic it is, but as we wander like this,”
Whoosh!
Alex’s head turned sharply in one direction as he glanced around. His pale green eyes gleamed like flames.
“he finds things like this. But even seeing it again, it’s remarkable. How does he do it?”
Even Dein’s group, who had witnessed it before, found it astonishing—so it was only natural that Klaus Brodell and the Knight were amazed.
“…Did you really find something, Alex?”
At Klaus Brodell’s startled question, Alex nodded.
“Yes. It’s over there.”
[Found it! My Mana!]
“Are there people there?”
Dein turned his horse around and asked.
“Wait.”
As they drew closer, the dark green Magical Aura became clearer.
Alex concentrated, examining those traces of power.
First, there was the dark green Dark Magic.
Three of them were close by, and five more were at some distance.
‘Two of them seem like Magical Tools or Scrolls, and the other one is inside the second son’s head.’
‘And the five are inside other people’s heads.’
From the five people in the Underground Space, Alex sensed Dark Magic.
‘These ones seem to have been hit with Dark Magic too.’
‘And on top of that, their Aura is tainted with my Magical Power.’
‘Did they undergo some kind of experimentation?’
Alex could also sense the Aura of the guards, corrupted with that dark green taint.
Though corrupted, their Aura was strong, which suggested they were guards sent by whoever was backing this operation.
And then there was ordinary Magical Power.
‘They’ve set up a Defensive Magic Circle.’
‘But it doesn’t seem like there are any offensive spells.’
Finally, the people themselves.
The strongest presence—a Third Circle mage’s Magical Power… but there were two of them?
‘Why two?’
Did Domeric Brodell have an accomplice? Or had someone been captured?
‘If there’s a Third Circle mage…isn’t that the sickly Count’s House mage everyone talks about?’
‘A weak mage like that would certainly make good material for Dark Magic, wouldn’t it?’
Then there was also Magical Power of the Second Circle.
‘That tactless employee from Zenor Magic Tool Shop who was always sucking up!’
‘Something tells me the second son probably just called him, and he came running immediately.’
Alex, privately agreeing with Ibek’s assessment, quickly explained to the rest of the group.
“There appear to be five guards, two Third Circle mages, and one Second Circle mage. I don’t sense any Magical Power from ordinary people.”
“So all the missing people are dead? But two Third Circle mages?”
Dein’s party exchanged glances that naturally turned toward Klaus Brodell. There were only two Third Circle mages in this territorial capital, and both belonged to the Count’s House.
“Lord Atin…?”
Klaus Brodell could only be shocked by the possibility that the “backer” his brother had gone to meet might be Lord Atin.
Of course, the guess was wrong.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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