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Chapter 79: The Tale of Turbulence and Fish Part 2
Antietta watched the limping figure of the young man as he walked away, with Yura's calm silhouette beside him. Finally, she could no longer hold back her curiosity and asked, "You're just letting them go, Sir Brandon?"
"What else would you have me do? Less trouble is better than more," Brandon replied simply.
"But I can't shake the feeling that you're plotting something," the noblewoman said, narrowing her eyes at him with a hint of suspicion.
Brandon couldn't help but chuckle wryly as he rubbed the tip of his nose. "Do I really seem so underhanded to you all? I thought my actions thus far had been straightforward enough."
"Perhaps, but it's also true that nothing you do is ever quite as simple as it appears on the surface. When you arranged for Lady Freya to attend the Royal Academy in Braggs—on the surface, it seemed like mutual support between friends. But privately, I suspect your decision was influenced by the ongoing struggle between the royalists and the local nobility, am I wrong?"
"If memory serves, the Royal Cavalry Academy lies within the private domain of Her Highness, the Princess. Among the current king’s descendants, only this princess has earned a reputation for brilliance. Moreover, I’ve heard that she acts as both sister and mother to the sole heir to the throne—the timid young prince."
"In which case, following tradition, once His Majesty passes, it wouldn’t be impossible for the princess to assume regency and consolidate power. In doing so, your actions become an invisible form of investment."
Roma, who had been listening quietly, nodded emphatically at the mention of investment.
"To put it another way, these subtle investments may not bear fruit immediately. But should you one day claim your own territory, you will naturally align yourself with the Princess’s faction. While others might see such moves as ordinary, those close to you know otherwise—your ambitions are far greater than they appear."
Antietta raised her head. "Isn’t that right, Sir Brandon?"
Having spoken her mind in one breath, the maiden finally exhaled. She had merely voiced the suspicions that had been building up over days, troubled by how increasingly inscrutable Brandon’s recent behavior had become. As the chief advisor, she didn’t want to fall too far behind Sir Brandon.
Brandon blinked after hearing her words. "More or less." Yet inwardly, he knew the young lady of noble birth hadn’t guessed everything correctly.
Rather than calling it an investment, it was more akin to forging connections. He didn’t need grand ideals; he could simply focus on cultivating his land. After all, players were different from the lords native to this world, especially since he controlled that particular territory.
Once the civil strife reached its peak, he planned to seize the opportunity to expand. And when Madara launched its full-scale invasion of Eruin, when even the Princess could no longer hold the line, he could step forward then to reap the greatest rewards.
But he hadn’t acted yet.
It was his lingering attachment to relationships formed during past games that led him to send Valkyrie into the princess’s care. He believed the two most remarkable women in Eruin’s history wouldn’t disappoint him. Even if his predictions faltered, at least he wouldn’t live with regret.
Still, he hadn’t expected Antietta to interpret his intentions so astutely. Smiling faintly, he chose not to correct her. For someone to deduce this much already spoke volumes about the young woman’s intellect.
He glanced back at Roma, who returned his gaze with an expression of mild amusement—as if the whole exchange entertained her. But there was no trace of surprise on her face. It wasn’t necessary for her to understand why Brandon did what he did; Roma simply sought to assist him to the best of her ability.
This was the fundamental difference between Roma and Antietta.
Brandon mused that sometimes excessive clarity wasn’t conducive to happiness. Watching Roma’s perpetually matter-of-fact demeanor brought him a peculiar sort of joy.
"And next," Antietta continued, "attending auctions to raise funds, sponsoring Lady Roma’s involvement in post-war celebrations—all while covertly infiltrating the region through financial channels. Only now do I realize how invaluable gold truly is. Its omnipresent influence allows Lady Roma’s reach to seep quietly into the tangled web of commoners controlled by nobles and thieves’ guilds alike—"
"Not even requiring deliberate maintenance, we hear whispers from every corner. Originally, I intended to deal directly with the Thieves’ Brotherhood in Braggs to gather such information. Yet evidently, even that approach pales before your vision, Sir Brandon." She looked up at him questioningly.
"That was one of the reasons for establishing the merchant guild," Brandon admitted with a nod. "But it isn’t about money—it’s about the power of interests. People instinctively align themselves with systems, often driven by selfish motives. Yet their actions frequently benefit others, much like the flow of goods—a fascinating phenomenon indeed."
"Gathering information isn’t particularly difficult either," Roma chimed in, clearly intrigued by the topic. "Aunt always said rumors are everywhere."
"That’s because we don’t demand high-quality intel. The hardest part of information processing isn’t collection—it’s sifting out what’s useful, which requires specialized manpower." Brandon smiled.
"That aside, doesn’t it make sense to suspect you harbor ulterior motives, Sir Brandon? You never act without gain."
Antietta’s lashes fluttered slightly as she fixed him with an unyielding stare.
"Two instances prove little. Perhaps it’s mere coincidence," Brandon deflected, unwilling to delve deeper into the subject with this sharp-witted girl. Too many secrets weighed upon him, and one lie often necessitated another.
Loose lips sink ships.
"The retreat of the Copper Dragon mercenary band, ostensibly to maintain a low profile, later proved instrumental in arranging Freya’s entry into the Royal Academy. Sir Brandon, it seems you were aware of those coveted spots at the Royal Cavalry Academy long beforehand…"
The maiden blinked, her suspicion deepening. "No, it’s more than that. You always seem to see further than the rest of us. While we fret over immediate gains, you appear to have already foreseen the endgame… I—I don’t know if it’s a gift, but it certainly puts immense pressure on me."
She sighed, unable to suppress a complaint.
"Enough, enough," Brandon hastily waved her off. "I understand. Let’s call it a talent, as you say. But one person’s perspective is inevitably incomplete…"
He glanced upward. Battles under the cover of night rarely excluded fire attacks. Flames had already begun spreading from the direction of the camp, casting a faint glow in the northern sky, gradually transforming into a radiant shade of crimson.
As the conflict intensified, their temporary refuge grew perilous.
After all, it was only a fleeting sanctuary.
"…Seems we’ve strayed too far from the main topic. Let’s depart before the fighting engulfs us here." After scanning their surroundings, Brandon shifted gears.
Without giving the maiden a chance to press further, he grabbed his nicked longsword and fled. Truthfully, Antietta’s perceptiveness exceeded his expectations. If she kept questioning him, who knew what personal details she might uncover…
Who could explain why he possessed such foresight regarding events in this world?
Was he a time traveler? Not your run-of-the-mill kind, surely?
Brandon certainly wouldn’t make such an amateurish mistake.
Yet his clumsy attempt to change the subject didn’t escape Antietta’s notice. However, the noblewoman seemed to realize she’d said too much herself. Had her questions not piled up over recent days, she might not have felt compelled to speak her mind.
Still, she understood the limits of inquiry. It was natural for leaders to withhold certain truths from their followers. Besides, Brandon’s prescience had always been a source of confidence for their small group.
With that thought, she obediently followed him.
But just as they prepared to leave, she couldn’t resist whispering anxiously, "Sir Tiger Finch, are we sure departing eastward is safe?" She recalled how Radi, the white-haired youth, had hesitated during Brandon’s earlier discourse, concealing something from them. Though nearly everyone’s attention had been riveted on Brandon, the meticulous noblewoman hadn’t missed the detail.
Tiger Finch glanced at her, his eyes brimming with admiration.
"Of course," he assured her, as if that weren’t sufficient. He patted his left arm like a true Rubis mountaineer. "Lady Antietta, I’ve never seen anyone understand these damned Depthsborn as well as our lord does—"
"Not to boast, but we’ve dealt with them often. Blackfire cultists love misdirection, yet seeing through their schemes isn’t easy." The seasoned mercenary gazed at Brandon’s retreating figure with respect. "Even I must analyze their attack patterns to deduce their ambush points somewhere between south and west. But compared to our lord? There’s no comparison."
Tiger Finch gestured toward Brandon’s back. "See his hands? I’d wager he dispatched that high-ranking bound demon in under a minute—perhaps ten strikes at most. Only veterans know that targeting a Chain Lord’s attack pattern offers the quickest path to victory. That lumbering beast may have a wide range, but once engaged in close combat, it poses little threat."
Antietta listened with partial comprehension, yet she could clearly discern the veteran mercenary’s reverence for Brandon. At first puzzled, she noticed how the young knight paid no heed to the wounds on his hands and back—and suddenly understood something profound.
To her knowledge, few of Eruin’s current generation of nobility could endure hardship as their ancestors once did.
Courageous and wise, decisive and resilient.
Such a lord?
She couldn’t wait to see what he would achieve.
Antietta drew in a soft breath, awestruck.
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