Reincarnated Dragon Goes to the Academy!

Chapter 170 : I'll Have to Kill Them All. (1)

After the terrible tragedy that befell the ducal family, the central nobles of the Arant Empire were on high alert.

"So you're saying he went to Sitata without even succeeding to the title?"

It was because of Skir, who had left for Sitata as soon as his parents' funeral was over.

"I heard he paid a generous consolation payment to the families of the servants who met with misfortune."

"Is that the problem? The servants are the servants, but is he going to leave the Duke's position vacant now?"

"Hah, and at a time like this, even the Emperor's seat is vacant..."

The problem was even greater because the title of Duke was not something that could be bestowed on just anyone.

"But we can't just take someone who knows nothing and put them in the Duke's seat, can we?"

"What do you mean, not put them? Do you want to give it to just anyone?"

Voices were raised at every meeting.

"So what are you going to do from now on? Let's say he went to Sitata, but isn't the future the problem?"

"What do you mean, let's say? This is no ordinary problem. Do you think Count Cibie is an ordinary person? He is a man who went to that barren land and has now accumulated enough wealth to buy the entire empire."

"..."

"Why would he still be there if he has that much money? I believe the Rodrigo Count's family is definitely up to something."

"Ahem."

As the words that couldn't be brought up were blurted out, the people rolled their eyes and cautiously sized each other up.

"Am I wrong? I'm saying this as someone who has watched Count Cibie for a long time. The Rodrigo family was never an ordinary family from the beginning."

At the signal flare fired by Marquis Meric Fairdeaf, the other nobles began to nod their heads and add a word or two.

"Ahem... It's not that I want to say this, but I believe there is some truth to what Marquis Meric said. I thought they had quieted down a bit after being chased out to Sitata, but haven't they risen that much in no time?"

The floodgates that had already been opened showed no sign of stopping.

"I agree. And it was also suspicious that the Count's family joined hands with the ducal family. No matter how close the children are, is that an easy thing to do?"

There was no one in this room who didn't know about the matter involving the Rodrigo Count's family and the O'Neil ducal family.

"That's right. I was surprised at first too. No, honestly, aren't they no different from enemies? At first, everyone just brushed it off, saying Count Cibie was thick-skinned, but now that the situation has come to this..."

"That's right."

The other nobles also nodded their heads.

"The ducal family even declared that they had no interest in the imperial authority... but I think there's something fishy about this."

"Ahem..."

As everyone's thoughts seemed to be the same, Marquis Meric finally opened his mouth.

"There would be no end if we think in a bad way. Well, isn't it that some among us think that the Rodrigo Count's family might have taken action because there was a disagreement with the ducal family?"

At that, a few gasped and sized each other up.

"And the second son of the ducal family naturally went to Sitata as soon as the funeral was over."

In fact, it was something anyone could have thought of, but had not said out loud.

"We can't just watch the Count's family's actions like this. As someone thought, the Count might have killed all the members of the ducal family because the ducal family declared they had no interest in the imperial authority, and the plan went wrong."

The wrong idea flowed as if it were a fact.

"So I will go. Since there is only circumstantial evidence for now. Don't I have to go and at least hear his thoughts?"

***

Sitata was suffering from a headache due to the untimely visit of the nobles.

Not only were gifts and banquet invitations coming every day, but the nobles who had not even glanced at Sitata were visiting one after another, riding in carriages or using scrolls.

What they said was all the same.

The words that began with 'I know the hardships the Count has been through' eventually ended with 'If you have any intentions, please do not forget our family and come to us.'

Therefore, Count Cibie had a throbbing headache these days.

'What on earth are these people thinking...'

To say they visited because of Skir, who would inherit the Duke's title, there was a somewhat suspicious corner.

'What should I do.'

Skir had not yet been able to compose his mind. No, there was no way his mind could be composed after seeing that sight with his own eyes.

Therefore, the Count was about to tell Skir to give up the Duke's title and live with him in Sitata.

"Hmm..."

It was when Count Cibie was sitting in his office, looking through the banquet invitations that had just arrived.

-Knock, knock.

At the sound of a knock on the door, Count Cibie gathered the invitations on his desk and answered.

"What is it."

"Marquis Meric Fairdeaf has come to visit."

Cibie's expression darkened at the voice coming from across the door.

'Even Marquis Meric...'

It was the family with the most power after the O'Neil ducal family. For him to come all the way to Sitata himself.

"I'll be out soon."

Cibie got up from his seat with a heavy heart.

Cibie, who had taken a small breath in front of the drawing-room, opened the door.

"Haha! Count Cibie. It's been a while."

A long time? It had been over twenty years. Nevertheless, Marquis Meric approached with a bright smile, as if he had seen him a few weeks ago.

"Marquis. It's been a long time."

As Cibie greeted him with etiquette, Meric laughed heartily and naturally offered him the seat in front of him.

"The Count can't escape the passage of time either. Well, the same goes for me."

Cibie looked at Marquis Meric without a word.

'What scheme did he come all the way here with? Surely it's not something like asking me to hand over Skir.'

Various thoughts crossed Cibie's mind.

"Your face says you're curious about what I've come all this way for."

"...Actually, that's true."

Marquis Meric was a person who had sided with the second prince faster than anyone else. In other words, he was one of the people who had driven Cibie out.

"Yes. I'm sorry about the old days."

"An apology is not necessary. Isn't it all in the past?"

"Yes. Yes. Still, I hope you know that I feel very sorry. I don't know if you know, but our family was also going through a difficult time."

Cibie also knew what the second prince had done to get people on his side. But the Fairdeaf marquisate was not among them. Because they had immediately sided with the second prince.

"Is that so."

A bitter smile appeared on Cibie's lips.

"Shall we put aside the stale old stories and get to the point?"

"Let's do that."

Cibie leaned back slightly on the sofa.

'No matter how great you were, it's not now.'

It was a silent action that said he would not be pushed around like in the old days.

"Um... The Count knows, but I can't beat around the bush, so please understand."

'I don't know what you're going to say, but you won't be able to shake me.'

Cibie repeatedly thought to himself and calmed his mind.

"Did you by any chance kill the Duke?"

"You son of a X!"

At the Marquis's words, the curses that immediately came out turned all the spells that had been calming his mind into bubbles and disappeared.

"Haha. If it's not, then it's not. There's no need to get so excited."

Even at Cibie's rough curses, the Marquis drank his tea as if nothing had happened.

"Did you come all the way here just to say that kind of thing?"

"It seems the story is going that way."

"It's not that the story is going that way, isn't it true? What? Did I kill the Duke? Is that something a person wearing a human mask should say?!"

Cibie's voice was higher than ever.

"Hmm... They say a strong denial is a strong affirmation. Does this also apply?"

At the Marquis's sly smile, Cibie's anger rose to the top of his head.

"I don't know what you want, but you will never get it here. No, whatever you people want, you will never! Never get it!!!"

"Haha. Even after all these years, that temper of yours is still the same. Then what is the reason for keeping the ducal family's second son here? Is it your intention to swallow the ducal family by using the second son who knows nothing?"

It was a deliberate provocation. Since Cibie was not unaware of that fact, he tried his best not to fall for it.

"If you're going to talk such nonsense, please leave at once. The reason I'm not pointing my sword at you right now is not for my sake, but for the children in this house."

"The Count's family is said to have good business acumen... Looking at the Count's words and actions, you've become a complete merchant. Like a very vulgar merchant."

Cibie clenched his two fists and trembled.

"I have nothing more to say to you. I would appreciate it if you would not stay in Sitata and leave at once."

The Count's voice, which had suppressed his anger, trembled.

"Haha. Well, since it's the Count's territory, I have nothing to say even if I'm kicked out..."

The Marquis slowly got up from his seat.

"Well, since you say you didn't do it... But I don't know if the ducal family's second son will be safe here."

The Marquis said, adjusting his clothes.

"You son of a X. I let you off easy."

At the words that seemed to threaten Skir, Cibie finally exploded.

"You bastard. You're dead today."

Cibie picked up the sword decorated on one side of the drawing-room with quick steps.

"Haha. That will be a little difficult."

At that, the Marquis, who had quickly taken out a scroll from his bosom, said as he tore it.

"You son of a X!!!"

Cibie, who was rushing towards the Marquis's body, which was fading as the scroll was torn. But the sword just cut through the empty air in vain.

"Damn it!!!"

At Cibie's rough curses, the servants opened the drawing-room door and rushed in.

"Count! Count! Please calm down. Yes?"

One of the servants bravely ran to the Count and carefully took the sword from his hand.

"Ugh!!! You bastards!!!"

People would sometimes whisper behind the Count's back, who had a gentle disposition, asking if he was a fool. The Count was a person who would laugh everything off with a 'hoho' rather than getting angry.

For such a Count to even take out the sword placed in the drawing-room and be enraged, the servants' eyes could not help but widen.

"Father?"

Just then, Lucas, who had seen the commotion in the drawing-room, called Cibie.

"L-Lucas?"

It was fine for his servants to see him like this, but for his son to see him was a different matter, so Cibie quickly tried to regain his composure.

"Is something wrong?"

Lucas asked, furrowing his brow.

"No, it's not. It's nothing."

But just by looking at Cibie's reddened face or the flustered expressions of the servants, it was easy to tell that it was not nothing.

"Someone was here, wasn't there?"

Lucas called one of the servants and asked.

"T-that is..."

"No. It was nothing."

He couldn't let his son worry about him.

"It doesn't seem like it was nothing."

Lucas frowned and urged the servant to answer.

"Marquis Meric Fairdeaf was here."

Another servant said, mustering his courage.

"I told you not to say anything!"

"Actually, you didn't say not to say anything. Thank you. You may leave."

Lucas quickly dealt with the sparks flying at the servant.

"Meric Fairdeaf. So he finally came."

"How do you know that?"

Cibie had never talked to Lucas about the affairs of the empire in detail.

"What did he say to make you so angry?"

Lucas's black eyes turned to the Count.

"...He threatened me, using Skir."

In the end, the frustrated Count began to confess to his son what had just happened.

"And he asked me if I had killed the Duke. Son, have I lived so wrongly as to hear such a thing?"

It was the complaint of a father who had just been through an upsetting experience.

"Hah... As you know, I have no desire to get involved in the affairs of the empire, and of course, I have no interest in the imperial authority. And to swallow the ducal family by keeping Skir here?"

Lucas, who was quietly listening to the Count's words and nodding his head.

"Oh dear. I shouldn't have said such things to you... Don't worry. I just need to increase the security personnel for the Count's family, including Skir."

"Yes. Don't worry too much, Father."

Lucas smiled faintly at Cibie and thought.

'I'll have to kill them all.'

[End of Chapter]