Villain Family’s Strongest Butler - Chapter 24

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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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Episode 27

A ceasefire coupled with an alliance request.
‘Serhin would never agree to this if he were alive.’
It came down to one of two things.
Either Serhin was truly dead, or he’d lost his mind.
I stopped in my tracks, freezing mid-corridor.
‘Serhin… dead?’
The thought settled in my chest like a stone.
Serhin had been my liege, the one who’d drawn his sword to test me, but more than that—he was a friend I’d walked alongside for countless years.
The prospect of his death was not something I welcomed.
‘No. No, that’s not it.’
I shook my head, pushing the unfounded assumption out of my mind.
There was no reason to fall into despair over mere speculation.
‘Nothing’s been confirmed yet.’
Besides, Serhin wasn’t the sort who’d go down so easily.
There was something he’d told me once, years ago, when he’d appeared before me broken and battered.
“I couldn’t possibly die before you and leave you behind.”
That was who he was.
‘No matter what comes to pass, he’s the kind who survives and stands before me again.’
So I’d set aside these baseless worries—whether Serhin was dead or mad.
I resumed my walk down the corridor.

***

“A ceasefire request and an alliance proposal at the same time… I wonder what’s happened in the Tenasis Empire?” Ed asked, his expression grave. Kardrian shook his head.
“We can’t know anything yet. We’ll find out once we enter the palace.”
The letter contained only the barest outline of the alliance request.
The detailed matters would become clear only once the council formally convened.

“Another lengthy meeting, then.”
“So it would seem.”
The Grand Noble Council.
In the Kadea Empire, the Imperial faction, the Nobility faction, and the Temple faction each selected five houses, granting them the authority to attend the Grand Noble Council.
In that council, matters of imperial importance were discussed and decided upon—and significant issues such as alliances were settled there as well.
By now, the great nobles from across the empire would be making their way to the Imperial Palace in the capital.
Ed stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Your Highness, it seems the Emperor will likely accept this alliance proposal.”
“Indeed. There’s no reason to refuse it, after all.”
The Kadea Empire had waged a prolonged war over the Lemart Disputed Territory.
The longer the war dragged on, the greater the suffering fell upon the empire’s people.
The costs of recruiting and maintaining soldiers were ultimately borne by the people through their labor and taxes.
Moreover, as the war persisted, more families lost parents, children, and siblings. The social structure had begun to fracture under the strain.
The Imperial House could not have been unaware of the gloom and negativity engulfing the entire empire.
Yet at this very moment, the Tenasis Empire had requested a ceasefire—and moreover, proposed an alliance.
The Emperor of Kadea would undoubtedly see this as an opportunity.
“Not only to end the war and console the hearts of the people, but to extract as much as possible from Tenasis while we can, yes?” Ed ventured.
“Precisely. And beyond that, we’d gain an ally to face the Black Mages alongside us.”
Kardrian opened the desk drawer and withdrew a leather pouch.
It was something he’d received from the High Priest on the day he and Freya had visited the Temple not long ago.
Kardrian held the pouch out to Ed. “Take a look.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Ed opened the pouch Kardrian had given him and examined its contents.
He’d expected something related to the Tenasis Empire’s alliance, but what emerged was entirely unexpected. Ed’s eyes widened in surprise.
“A leaf?”
What Ed had pulled from the pouch was a single leaf.
The verdant foliage seemed fresh, as though it had only recently fallen from its branch.

The severed stem’s edge was moist, and the firmly stretched veins gave indication of its vital state.
A golden vein cutting across the center of the deep green leaf, and fine, delicate veins branching outward from that central vein in both directions.
The pattern formed by the harmony of straight and curved lines seemed almost like ancient script in its mystery.
The entire leaf gleamed as though dusted with gold powder, thanks to the veins that shimmered with the gentle light of stars in the night sky.
Ed waved the leaf back and forth as he spoke, his expression and tone grave despite the careless gesture.
“A World Tree Leaf, then.”
“Yes. Have you seen one before?”
Ed shook his head.
“Not directly. But I’ve learned something of its appearance through ancient texts kept within our tribe.”
Ed was of the Markatz Tribe.
The Markatz Tribe, a nomadic people of wolf Beastmen, had wandered across the continent without settling in any one place, and in doing so had accumulated diverse knowledge.
Ed examined the leaf more closely, then tilted his head in puzzlement.
“But this is strange, Your Majesty. Did you not say the World Tree has ceased its activity and is dying?”
“That’s correct.”
“I cannot understand how such a healthy leaf could have grown from a tree that has stopped its activity. Could it be a forgery?”
“It came from the High Priest, so the World Tree Leaf is certainly genuine.”
“Then you mean the World Tree is reviving?”
Kardrian, recalling the High Priest’s words for a moment, nodded slowly.
“According to what I heard, it began producing new leaves exactly two years ago.”
!
At Kardrian’s answer, Ed’s eyebrows shot up.
“Your Majesty, two years ago—isn’t that precisely when she awakened?”
…
The person Ed was referring to was Freya.
“Then there is no further reason for doubt, is there?!”
Ed rarely stumbled over his words, but he did then. Kardrian continued.
“The High Priest said traces of Black Magic were found in that soul.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
Ed pressed his lips shut, then slowly opened his mouth again.
“But surely when we checked with the Crystal Sphere at the Temple, there was no trace of Black Magic detected. Now you suddenly speak of Black Magic?”
“According to the High Priest, it was merely a light contact—a glancing touch, as it were—but even that can be seen as evidence of connection to Black Magic.”
At that, Ed hastily thrust the leaf forward.
“Your Majesty! This is what evidence ought to be! This leaf you can see with your own eyes speaks louder than the High Priest’s words!”
Ed released a long breath, his agitation subsiding.
“And merely a glancing touch, you say? Surely that’s not like dust you pick up from walking down a road!”
“Dust picked up from a road and Black Magic clinging to a soul are entirely different matters. For someone as clever as you, you’re saying remarkably foolish things today.”
“Ah, no… that is to say…”
Ed’s voice trailed away.
‘Yes. If, as you say, this were truly another soul touched by a Black Mage’s hand?’
There were still far too many suspicious details to accept and believe in Freya blindly.
Ed sensed the reason for Kardrian’s uncertainty as well.
Ed gazed upon the leaf with regret.
‘If only her memories had remained intact…’
Had Freya not lost her memories, they would not suspect her so deeply.
In a situation where there were so many suspicious circumstances, a single leaf could not possibly dispel all that doubt.
‘That the World Tree is reviving is certainly proof that her soul has awakened, but it is not proof that it awakened within her own body.’
It seemed Kardrian believed a cautious approach was necessary on that point.
Ed asked carefully.
“Have you perhaps already made a decision about her?”
Ed was asking about what would be done with Freya.
Kardrian opened his mouth heavily.
“I mean to show it to one more person, at last.”
“Ah…!”
Ed seemed to know who that person was, and a sigh escaped him.
“In any case, you mentioned stopping by the Ballot estate once this expedition is concluded, so I intend to withhold judgment until then.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Ed released a relieved breath.
Then Kardrian picked up the letter that lay on his desk.
“And.”
“Yes?”
Kardrian waved the letter fluttering before Ed. “The Imperial Palace says attendants are limited to one.”
“The Imperial Palace says attendants are limited to one.”
“Ah…….”
Typically, when a noble entered the palace, they brought an attendant—whether a guard knight, an aide, or a retainer.
And it was customary to inform the Imperial Palace in advance of the attendant’s particulars before entering the palace.
Kardrian extended the letter to Ed and asked, “Will you go?”
“Will you go?”
“What?!”
Ed startled, jumping to his feet. He stared at the letter as if it were filth and cried out.
“I refuse!”
It was common enough for an aide’s attendant to enter the palace alongside their superior.
But Ed clearly despised this commonplace duty.
“Not again……I don’t wish to bring trouble upon Your Highness.”
Ed lowered his gaze to the floor and spoke in a subdued voice.
Kardrian looked at Ed and shook his head.
In truth, Ed detested encountering people from other noble houses.
The prejudices of those who had once enslaved the Beastman persisted.
There had been a time when he’d lost himself at the Imperial Palace and raged—for the nobles who insulted and mocked him had finally invoked Kardrian’s name.
That incident had left a noble house’s patriarch grievously wounded.
Though Kardrian had managed to smooth things over, one of the Ballot Grand Duke House’s mines had been transferred to the victim’s family.
After that, Ed had made every effort to avoid gatherings where nobles assembled.
Kardrian nodded.
“There’s no help for it. I can bring Allen or Count Norbert instead.”
At that, Ed quickly approached and said,
“Then please take our butler instead?”

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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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