Tilea's Worries

"Could you... repeat that?"  

Elizabeth, her body wrapped in bandages, spoke through clenched teeth, glaring at her retainer.  

"Y-yes, my lady. The treasury has been raided. All the valuables have been stolen."  

Impossible.  

The treasury was guarded by skilled warriors and protected with the most formidable traps. Even the royal elite forces couldn’t breach it—or rather, they hadn’t.  

No, I must face the truth. I, the head of this household, am gravely injured.  

They must have broken through.  

F-fine. This is my failure. I allowed this to happen. There will be chances to recover.  

"And... how much was lost?"  

"T-the total damage is estimated to exceed ten billion... everything was taken, my lady."  

"Hah? That’s absurd! Are you saying they managed to haul away all those treasures? Some of them weigh tons, you know! Impossible!"  

"They likely hired laborers for transport, my lady."  

"Laborers?! Do you have any proof?"  

"N-no, my lady. Unfortunately, all the guards and witnesses were killed. The details remain shrouded in mystery. But... it’s the only plausible explanation."  

How could this be possible?  

The collection of antiques and art alone weighed seven or eight tons. This was no small feat.  

Are they suggesting a thousand laborers were hired to pull this off?  

"Are you certain this isn’t a mistake?"  

"If you wish, my lady, you may inspect the empty treasury yourself."  

The retainer’s expression showed no sign of deceit.  

Dizziness overcame her.  

Generations of wealth, gold bars, jewels... all of it.  

The priceless treasures seized during expeditions and conquests against political enemies—all gone.  

Wait! The heirlooms of the Elizabeth household!  

"Are you telling me everything is gone? The *Goppon* painting? The jade family heirloom—is it safe?"  

"M-my deepest apologies. It was stolen as well."  

"Then what remains?!"  

"As I said, nothing. The paintings, vases, furniture, gold coins, silver coins, copper coins... not a single piece of gold remains."  

"That silver-haired brat!"  

She slammed the table in frustration.  

She had planned to take the older sister hostage but instead found herself the target of an assault. She hadn’t anticipated the main target was the manor’s wealth.  

"W-well, we’ll just have to use the secret funds. Prepare them immediately."  

Fortunately, the family’s assets were diversified for situations like this.  

The main treasury might be gone, but the hidden stashes in vacation homes and other properties could still be retrieved to mitigate the damage.  

"They’re gone."  

"...Excuse me?"  

"The hidden funds, my lady... Ryukou took all of them as payment for his services."  

"What are you saying?! He failed his mission! We owe him nothing! He should be paying compensation for his failure!"  

"You are absolutely correct, my lady. However, Ryukou stated, ‘I failed the mission, so I don’t need the success fee. But my expenses were exorbitant,’ and forcibly took the funds."  

"A-and you allowed this?!"  

"M-my apologies, my lady. Ryukou is a member of the world-renowned assassin group, *Shikkoku Satsuriku-dan*. When our household staff resisted, they were all slaughtered. There was no stopping him."  

"You scoundrels! Thieves, every one of you! I won’t forgive a single one of you!"  

In her rage, she launched a magic blast at her retainer.  

The retainer screamed and tried to escape, but Elizabeth wouldn’t let him.  

Another volley of magic blasts struck his body, sending him flying into the far wall, lifeless.  

"Damn it! Ryukou not only failed to assassinate her but also robbed me blind! That silver-haired brat! Brazenly stealing tons of treasure in broad daylight!"  

Now all the wealth was gone.  

She clawed at her hair, feeling strands pull loose. Perhaps more of it had fallen out.  

"Aaaah! I won’t forgive them! The very thought enrages me! They’ll die for this!"  

Elizabeth released another series of magic blasts, leaving dozens of holes in the walls.  

Breathing heavily, she collapsed into her chair.  

"Haha, someone’s in a foul mood, eh, Princess?"  

"Baccio!"  

Elizabeth turned toward the voice and saw Baccio, her most powerful subordinate and the so-called guardian of the royal capital, standing behind her.  

He was as unchanging as ever. Regardless of his opponent, he always maintained his casual demeanor.  

Even when addressing Elizabeth herself, he greeted her with a mocking tone.  

"Tch. How irritating."  

Elizabeth had tolerated his insolence only because of his unparalleled skills.  

But today, she didn’t have the patience.  

"And where exactly have you been wandering until now?!" she snapped.  

"Now, now, what a warm welcome. I came straight from the Abyssmo front lines, you know. That so-called powder keg? Nobody but my squad could have pulled off such a swift retreat. A little appreciation, maybe?"  

"I’m not interested in your boasts! Do you have any idea what kind of misfortune I’ve endured in your absence?!"  

"Haha, you’re amusing, Princess. I’ve known you for years, but I’ve never seen you so flustered."  

"Baccio!"  

"Calm down. I’m joking. Now, what happened?"  

"You know I have enemies, correct?"  

"Yeah, yeah. Your letters made that clear. Plus, I got some details from your staff. A silver-haired brat, right?"  

"Exactly. That thief robbed my family of all its wealth!"  

"Whoa! That’s impressive. Tell me everything!"  

Baccio sat in a nearby chair, grinning with genuine interest.  

Elizabeth hesitated. The memory of her disgrace was humiliating to recall. But withholding information before an assault would be reckless.  

She steeled herself and recounted the events in a detached tone.  

"Haha! So it was your first major loss, huh? Those bandages look pretty bad."  

"This is no laughing matter! I was one step away from death with my body covered in bruises, cuts, and fractures!"  

"Don’t be mad. You survived, didn’t you? That’s what matters."  

"Survived?! Do you think that’s enough? Look at my arm—it’s useless now!"  

Elizabeth showed her limp right arm to Baccio in frustration.  

"Oh, really? Didn’t you get proper treatment?"  

"Of course I did! The best potions, the most powerful healing magic—none of it worked. My right arm’s nerves are shredded, and parts of my body are irreparably damaged. That silver-haired vermin ruined me!"  

"Pfft! Wasn’t it Ortissio? You wrote about hiring him, only for him to backstab you. Hilarious. What a piece of work."  

Baccio burst into laughter, finding the situation ridiculously entertaining.  

Elizabeth seethed. If anyone else had dared mock her like this, they’d be dead.  

But she needed Baccio. His absence from her revenge plot wasn’t an option.  

Forcing herself to stay calm, she swallowed her rage.  

"Enough, Baccio. I’ve heard all I can take."  

"Haha, sorry, Princess. But really, it’s too funny."  

"Baccio!"  

"Alright, alright, I’m done. So, what’s the plan?"  

"We’ll make them pay for crippling me. They’ll regret crossing me."  

"Now that’s the spirit, Princess."  

"Prepare yourself, Baccio. This is war."  

"Got it."  

"And no more of that smug laughing. Understood?"  

"Sure, sure. By the way, got any booze? I heard you had an impressive vintage collection."  

"None. All of it was in the treasury. That thief took it all."  

"Pfft! Hahaha! That brat really is your bad luck charm!"  

"Baccio!"  

"Fine, fine. I’ll make do with what I brought."  

Baccio signaled to his men to bring some of their own beer, presumably from the special forces' stash.  

Baccio snapped the slender neck of the bottle with his bare hand and downed its contents in one go.  

"*Pwah!* Now that hits the spot. Kukuku."  

"Baccio, stop dodging the issue. This is no time for a drinking party. Prepare for battle immediately."  

"Prepare for battle, huh…"  

"What’s that supposed to mean? Don’t tell me you’re planning not to fight?"  

"Nah. It’s been a while since I’ve faced an enemy this interesting. My blood’s boiling."  

"Then get moving! There’s no time to lounge around drinking."  

"Hey, Princess."  

"What is it now, Baccio?"  

"Just thinking… we’re supposed to crush the enemy. That’s our job, no more, no less. But, uh, are you planning to pay us for this gig?"  

"Payment? Don’t act like you don’t know the answer."  

"Kukuku, don’t glare at me like that. It’s all been stolen, so yeah, no way you can pay, right?"  

"This isn’t a joke, Baccio."  

"Still, Princess, expecting my squad to work for free is a bit much. Sure, I’ve got a soft spot for you. But we’re professional mercenaries. I think you know what that means."  

Baccio’s eyes narrowed, his presence suddenly oppressive.  

It was clear: if she gave a half-hearted response, he wouldn’t just refuse. He might kill her on the spot.  

"I understand. You won’t work for free. I’ll pay later."  

"You expect me to trust that?"  

"Of course. I’ve kept you—a group not even the royal family could control—on my payroll for years. You don’t doubt my capabilities now, do you?"  

"Fair point. Despite everything, you’re the only employer I’ve ever liked. If you say you’ll pay, you will, right?"  

"Naturally."  

"So, what’s the plan? How are you going to get the money?"  

"Hmph. Simple. If we lack funds, we’ll make them. I’ll reclaim the fortune from those silver-haired and blonde-haired brats. Judging by their haul, they’ve stockpiled quite a bit—likely even more than what they stole from me."  

"Ooh, sanctioned looting and pillaging? Bold move, Princess. You’re going to attract the attention of the city guards."  

"They’ll be too busy to care."  

"Oh? You’ve been plotting something, haven’t you?"  

"Indeed. The city guards are scattered across the capital’s key locations."  

"And what’s the reason for that?"  

"Recently, there’s been a surge in simultaneous terror attacks. Add in the swirl of rumors, and they’re preoccupied sorting fact from fiction."  

"Hahaha! Well played!"  

"Baccio, don’t underestimate me. Yes, the assault was a grievous blow, but I haven’t been sitting idle for months. I’ve used my influence to isolate allies of those silver-haired and blonde-haired brats—whether in the adventurer’s guild or the city guard. I’ve cleverly sent them outside the capital. Now, every critical post in the city is manned by my loyalists."  

"Impressive. But if you were so thorough, how did they manage to attack your manor?"  

Baccio’s grin widened, mocking her misstep.  

"Tch. That… was an oversight. Who could’ve imagined that *Gaderio the Hero* would betray the royal family?"  

"Not just Gaderio. Didn’t Cass the adventurer and Jin the sniper join the attack? You’ve attracted quite the list of big names to your enemies."  

"Indeed. I underestimated how much that silver-haired brat had expanded her influence…"  

"So, what do you plan to do about them? My squad could take them out, but Gaderio commands the kingdom’s expeditionary force—a force of ten thousand. I’m not keen on fighting them without an advance payment."  

"Leave them be. Your target is solely the silver-haired and blonde-haired brats."  

"And the others? They’re bound to interfere."  

"I have contingencies. In fact, they’re likely to self-destruct."  

"How so?"  

"You know my reputation, don’t you? I show no mercy to my enemies. I drag their families into hell with them."  

"That’s true. Everyone in the capital knows of your ruthlessness."  

"Exactly. Even if those brats are too provincial to know my name, their sycophants from the academy must have made it clear. I know how they’ll act. The blonde-haired brat values her family above all else. She’ll divide her forces to protect them. Her friends’ families, too—she can’t abandon them. She won’t be able to choose."  

"Are you sure someone bold enough to raid your manor would make such a naïve mistake?"  

"Oh, without a doubt. After two or three conversations, it’s obvious: the blonde-haired brat is a hopelessly naive fool. By now, she’s likely dispatched Gaderio’s forces across various locations for protection."  

Baccio listened in silence, pouring another drink as Elizabeth laid out her analysis.  

He wasn’t just a brute; he was carefully evaluating the information, preparing to exploit it.  

Elizabeth continued, detailing everything from the unshakable loyalty of the adventurer Myuhhen to rumors about an exiled royal from the Eastern Kingdom.  

"In summary, their forces are not to be underestimated. Even if the blonde-haired brat is a fool, the silver-haired one is her polar opposite—cold, ruthless, and pragmatic. She has the mind of a true strategist and will sacrifice anything for victory."  

"Then wouldn’t the silver-haired brat object to splitting their forces? Surely, she wouldn’t make such an obvious blunder."  

"She will. I guarantee it. The silver-haired brat is utterly subservient to the blonde-haired one. She’ll never oppose her plans. That is her one and only weakness."  

"Kukuku. Overly sentimental, is she? How foolish. Letting emotions dictate strategy never ends well."  

"Precisely. They’re soft-hearted fools, and that leaves plenty of openings."  

"So, what’s your plan, Princess?"  

"First, we deal with the residents of West Street."  

"And how will you do that?"  

"Naturally, they’ll all die."  

"Ahahaha! Poor bastards. Wrong place, wrong time, huh?"  

"Living on the same street as those silver-haired and blonde-haired brats is a crime in itself. But we’ll toy with them first, of course."  

"Oh, you’re ruthless, Princess."  

"And that’s not all. I’ve crafted plans to utterly destroy their key forces—Myuhhen, Gaderio, Ortissio—they’ll all fall."  

As Elizabeth outlined her strategy, Baccio’s expression shifted to one of gleeful anticipation.  

"Kukuku. Every time, Princess, your cunning surprises me. This almost feels too easy!"  

"The operation is called *Black Revenge*. We’ll drag them all to hell!"  

Baccio chuckled, raising his cup in amusement before downing the rest in a single gulp.  

[TL notes: Sorry it will be paused until after the holidays. And happy holidays everyone!]