Wolves of Hader

Chapter 24

Doge and the knights were entering the fortress from afar.

As they came in, the residents watched with anxious eyes. Our soldiers had already surrounded the area.

I watched them for a while, then went to the wall gate.

Rozie and Ross. Urald and Donnie were there.

The servants of our house had also packed their important belongings and gathered together.

"Elder sister and elder brother should go outside the wall. Sir Urald as well."

"Alright. I'm worried about this."

"What will the youngest do?"

I smiled at Rozie.

"I have a way to stop them. So you don't need to worry about me. Just don't go too far and keep hidden. It'll work if you follow Sir Urald's judgment."

"What about Father?"

"Us siblings don't particularly care about those guys, but Father is different. If you're with Father, you two will also be in danger. I can protect Father."

Rozie and Ross looked at Russell.

Russell nodded.

It meant to trust me.

"I'll send them up onto the wall. Make it seem like no one left. So wait right in front of the wall gate until it gets dark. You can't see the wall gate from above."

"Roger, don't get hurt."

"I understand."

After hugging Rozie as her eyes turned red, I embraced Ross as well. The two of them seemed to think this might be the last time.

I had to push their reluctant steps out the door.

Once again, Russell and I stood in the plaza.

When the second wall gate closed, Doge entered the plaza. The sound of the closing door was small, so they didn't hear it.

Doge leisurely looked over the structure of this fortress.

He wore an expression as if searching for the most effective way to slaughter us, after preparing various methods.

Judging by his grin, he must have found it right away.

"You threatened me so fiercely, I thought you had many soldiers. But after counting, there are only twelve."

At Doge's words, the knights of the Syren family sneered. Our soldiers looked ready to die.

Russell, knowing my strength, watched calmly.

"Would you like to tour the wall?"

At my words, Doge smirked.

"Sure."

"Please guide them."

"Yes, young master."

Several soldiers took the lead. As Doge followed without hesitation, the seven knights followed behind.

As soon as they reached the top of the wall, they checked from below. I spoke to Russell.

"We need to gather them in the parlor."

"That's too close to the family head's room."

"If they move stealthily, it's hard to respond. If they're nearby, we can sense their presence. Tell everyone not to guard the parlor entrance, but to stay in front of the wall gate."

"No one guarding it?"

"It's useless to guard the parlor entrance. The soldiers would just die in vain. It's better to have them come looking for Father's room. I'll be alone in Father's room."

Russell bit his lip.

It was simply too dangerous. No matter my strength, to Russell's eyes, I'm only thirteen. He asked,

"Are you sure what they'll try to do?"

"Yes. There's no other way if they want to destroy evidence."

Russell knew what my plan was.

I explained their plan to Russell when they entered the fortress. Even Russell nodded in agreement—it was an effective strategy.

"If our plan succeeds, won't the Grand Duke Syren no longer care about us? That's the most important part."

Russell thought for a moment before replying.

"We need to consider how much of a threat the Hader house is to the Grand Duke. In terms of strength, the matter is essentially already finished."

"This time, they want to finish it completely."

"Yes. If they fail, the Grand Duke will have doubts, but he'll judge Hader's comeback as impossible. Then he'll have no more interest in us."

Doge wasn't sent here solely because of hatred for our house. It was just that we knew the Syren family and the Empress's secret, and they wanted to erase future trouble.

So, the Grand Duke only needed to prevent our return.

Russell added,

"Someone at the Grand Duke's level acts according to profit and reason. Especially for a Grand Duke, he'll want to replace accumulated terror with respect. If it got out that he wiped us out, there would be no benefit for him either."

I agreed with Russell.

Replace accumulated terror with respect.

That's very likely for the current Grand Duke.

Even if he fails to totally annihilate us, there's a high chance he will lose interest. What threat or gain could possibly be left from a house that's finished?

Surely, we're not the Grand Duke's only enemy.

The problem lies elsewhere.

"Art Syren is joining the army this year, right?"

"Yes. As the duty of high-born heirs in the capital, they generally become officers at age seventeen. If married, it can be delayed, but Art Syren is unmarried, so he'll be commissioned this year."

"How many years do they serve?"

"Three years. The higher the nobility, the longer the service, so Art Syren will likely serve for four years."

I heard that Art Syren hated us unusually much. Maybe he'd already forgotten, or maybe he'd try something on his own. But if he enters the military this year, we at least have a three-year respite from his threat.

"If it happens, we'll stay outside the wall for a while. During that time, Russell, you'll need to take care of the aftermath with the soldiers."

"Will the Eastern Army chief of staff investigate?"

"We'll have to rely on Urke."

Russell nodded.

"It'll probably be a one-time investigation."

"Unless the chief has special interest in our house, there won't be any need for another report. Since the term is only a year, we just need to stay out of sight until this winter. The new chief won't come here unless ordered by the military."

"The military probably won't order it either."

By now, Doge's group was coming down from the wall.

They'd stayed up there so long because they were revising and studying their plan.

If I were Doge, I'd have revised it, too.

Some quick-witted residents started leaving with their belongings.

Seeing knights enter and soldiers on edge, they realized something was about to happen.

"Tell everyone to leave the fortress before sundown. They must take all their belongings with them."

"Understood."

After Russell gave the order, the soldiers scattered. Russell and I went up to the castle and stood in front of the parlor.

Doge and the knights followed as if nothing was happening.

Doge smiled and spoke.

"You've sent the residents out."

"Wait for Father in this room."

"I'm not sure what to say, being offered such a fine room. We expected you'd relegate us to the stables."

Russell opened the parlor door.

After inspecting the parlor, Doge spoke.

"We'll take care of our own food and water."

The parlor door closed.

Russell and I went straight to the marquis's room.

The soldiers gathered one by one below the balustrade. I spoke to them in a low voice.

"Only Sir Russell will stay here. Everyone else, guard the wall gate. Be ready to move the moment anything happens."

Their expressions varied. They knew the plan, but couldn't accept it.

A fight was about to break out, yet the soldiers were told not to get involved.

"Just trust me as Russell does."

"We will."

The soldiers immediately moved toward the wall.

I watched the remaining Russell.

"Don't overdo it."

"I'm more worried about you, young master."

I entered the marquis's room. As I closed the door, I saw Russell nod at me.

The most dangerous person was Russell. Could he endure Doge's assault?

I looked at the sleeping marquis.

Seeing him continue to sleep, I felt his condition would only worsen. He seemed to be holding on by sheer willpower.

He feels like my real father now.

Having lost my parents young, I never really understood what a father was.

The marquis has shown me what it means to have a father.

Although thirteen-year-old Roger and I are different people, as a member of the house, my feelings are the same.

The vengeance welling up from deep inside is the proof.

My maternal relatives had been brutally murdered, and my mother died of a mysterious illness.

The Hader house was stripped of everything and exiled to this rural place.

Now, those seeking to annihilate us had come.

Thinking of all this made my heart burn. Not long ago, it felt like someone else's problem, but now it was mine, and our house's.

If anything really does happen, I won't be able to bear it.

I looked at the marquis again.

Will he not wake up like this?

'You must recover. There's still much I need to learn from you.'

/ / /

Night had deepened.

I couldn't tell if dawn was coming, or if it was still midnight.

But it was certain that something would happen before the darkness lifted.

They had no reason to wait until tomorrow. They'd know very well we couldn't stop them.

After waiting another ten or so minutes—

Clack.

The sound of a door opening.

They finally made their move.

"Do not come this way."

Russell's voice.

Yet footsteps continued.

I rose, drew my dagger, and waited in the center of the parlor.

If they were faster than expected, I could be killed, so the center was best.

Doge's voice reached my ears.

"So the marquis of Hader is in that room."

"Don't come any closer..."

Just as Russell was saying that—

Thunk—a sound, followed by someone slamming against the wall. Doge must have rammed into Russell!

Crash—

The lock broke and the door burst open.

At that moment, as I tried to react, a white sphere flew in rapidly. It shot toward the wall, too quick for me to bat away.

The sphere rolled to a stop on the floor.

Something familiar about the enemy's actions.

Could it be! That thought flashed just as—

"Young master!"

As I released a chill and hurled myself toward the sphere—

Boom, boom, boom—

Something exploded, sending me flying. It was powerful enough to smash me against the wall.

My insides were shaken up, and I could barely breathe.

What just exploded?

Russell hadn't mentioned such a weapon. Apparently, he had never heard of it either.

Was it some kind of magic-powered shell?

It certainly felt like a burst of magic power.

My body was paralyzed for a moment.

I couldn't move.

Clack.

Step, step.

Doge walked into the room.

With the seven knights of the Syren family.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

What the fuck's happening? I thought there was a plan?

【「(°ヘ°)?】