"That's one thing you're good at—slaughtering bad people. At this rate, you'll end up becoming a hero." My grandmother says as she hands me a cup of tea.
"Or a villain, depending on who you ask." I remember reading something similar when I was a child. Sometimes the good guy is the bad guy, depending on whose perspective you're looking from.
"You'll always be the good one to us, little one." My grandmother's voice softens. "Thank you for your help. Having you nearby always lets us breathe a little easier. We couldn't carry out many of our plans without your presence, and your strength saves countless lives. Many of our guards would die in situations that you consider simple." My grandmother gently blows on her own cup of tea.
"We should make the most of it before he leaves on another expedition. Aunt Eisty must already be waiting for her precious disciple," Brendu comments while sipping tea beside us.
"At least she's leaving us with a brilliant mind and a powerful fighter." My grandmother smiles at Brendu so warmly that I almost think the princess is actually her granddaughter.
"I'll try to stay here as long as possible. I do need to visit my family from time to time. There are many matters that only I can handle personally, and I've been putting them off." The princess looks slightly saddened as she says it.
"Don't worry. As long as you can spend as much time with us as possible, that's enough." My grandmother answers immediately.
"I feel like you love the girls more than me..." It isn't just Brendu. I've seen my grandmother treat Sol, Arisa, and Marga with the same kindness.
"You're not entirely wrong." Rita shrugs. "All of my grandchildren are boys... and every single one of them has been a headache in his own way. I've always wanted a granddaughter, so it's only natural that I'm so fond of them." My grandmother answers as though my question were obvious.
"Each and every one of them is different and special, but they all share one thing in common—they love my grandsons, and they're good people." My grandmother continues after taking another sip of tea. "For now there are six of them... but I don't know if that number will increase." Her gaze pierces my forehead like a dagger.
Brendu is staring at me just as seriously. Her eyes are like two sharpened swords, and I can even feel the faint pressure of her Dominion.
"I know you'll miss me when I'm gone. I'll try to come back as soon as possible." I try to change the subject without making it too obvious.
"Don't rush. The more you learn, the better it'll be for all of us. I know Lady Eisty cares deeply about you. That alone gives our territory indirect protection. There's no one in this world who wants to make enemies of her family." My grandmother pours herself another cup of tea after finishing.
"Even my own family is careful around them. They have three incredibly powerful Obsidian Ranks. Fighting them would cost us an arm or two. I can't even imagine what it would be like for weaker noble families. We're fortunate that they're good people." Brendu's expression becomes unusually serious.
"I know they're strong... but are they really that strong?" I've heard countless legends about them, but I never knew how much of it was exaggerated.
"They are. They're one of the main reasons the Withered Tree hides so carefully. My father told me they were responsible for killing his son." Brendu's words carry both hatred and sorrow.
"Then why aren't they actively hunting it down? They could wipe them out." The question slips out as soon as it crosses my mind.
"It's not that simple. You'll understand once you go to see her. She'll explain everything." Brendu picks up one of the cookies and takes a bite.
"When are we attacking those ogres? I need to be ready." I ask my grandmother. She's been coordinating the assault with Ritmo and Edupe.
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"Tomorrow night. I need you at your absolute best. We can't afford to lose this opportunity." I can feel her determination in every one of her movements.
"Everything will go well. I've never let you down before, and this won't be the first time." I try to sound as confident as possible. I know it'll be a difficult battle, but I have no intention of losing. Edupe and I will emerge victorious.
"That reassures me. You may not always be reliable in every aspect... but when it comes to fighting, you certainly are." I hear Brendu let out a quiet laugh at my grandmother's remark.
Someone knocks on my grandmother's office door. As I extend my senses, I immediately recognize who it is. "Looks like there's already news." It's one of the Ruby Rank guards who came with us.
The guard gives us every detail he can. It's safe to say there isn't any more information to squeeze out of the captives. My family spends a considerable amount of money on a madman who absolutely loves this kind of work.
He's happiest when torturing people, and he possesses a mental affinity that allows him to extract information once he completely shatters a person's mental defenses. He's half insane, but he's dependable. His methods are... questionable, yet undeniably effective.
The money we spend to keep him is well worth it. Every territory needs someone like him. The benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
"So there isn't a larger organization backing them. They simply thought settling in our territory was a good idea." My grandmother lets out a sigh of relief after hearing the entire report.
"Our assumptions were correct. They were far too weak and sloppy to belong to a larger organization," Brendu says after giving it some thought.
"So those idiots really believed we'd be easy prey? At least they'll serve as an example for other groups." Even though they aren't directly affiliated with larger organizations, criminal groups usually coordinate with one another to avoid trespassing on each other's territory.
I doubt any other group of similar strength will try anything in our territory anytime soon. We discovered them almost immediately and wiped them out just as fast. The others will think twice before attempting something similar.
"Rats always find the darkest places to hide and the perfect moments to steal a meal. Increasing security is our top priority. More reinforcements will arrive soon—not only for our three villages, but also for the two new ones that will begin operating shortly." My grandmother looks remarkably calm.
"Can we trust the new personnel?" I ask out of curiosity. Trust isn't something you can give to just anyone.
"Yes, we can. The Komil Duchy and the Juka Empire are both contributing. They're graduates from their guard academies. They'll have the opportunity to find work quickly in a place where promotions aren't fiercely competitive, while we receive guards with proven training and verified backgrounds." My grandmother's explanation leaves me thinking.
They'll still have to earn everyone's trust and prove their strength before being promoted, and that'll take time. Still, at least we won't have to conduct extensive investigations into their lives to make sure they aren't spies—or people looking to harm our territory.
"Thank you, Brendu. Your support helped move the negotiations forward much faster." My grandmother gives the princess a playful wink.
"I didn't do much. There's no need to thank me." Brendu waves her hand dismissively. I'm fairly certain this was one of the reasons Brendu sometimes took longer than expected during the breaks we had while training together.
"This should be enough to motivate the Emperor to approve the promotion. I truly never imagined we'd come this far. I never thought I'd still be alive to see our territory become a barony." My grandmother, who is usually so composed, can't hide her happiness. The smile on her face is completely genuine.
"Everyone has done an excellent job. Each person has contributed enough to earn that promotion. They deserve it. I'm sure Ritmo will do a wonderful job once he inherits the territory. You might even catch up to Uncle Camux sooner than you think." Brendu says it with a bright smile.
My family reaching the rank of Viscount... now that's the major leagues. Baron is the highest rank among the lower nobility, while Viscount is the lowest rank among the upper nobility. It may only be a difference of one rank, but the gap between them is enormous.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Grandma. I'll come back with good news. I promise." I say as I stand up from my chair, preparing to leave with Brendu.
"I hope I'll have good news for you as well. We've invested a considerable amount of money to hire construction workers from Marquis Timal and Duke Komil. Don't be surprised if the village's infrastructure is completed in the blink of an eye." My grandmother looks genuinely proud.
"I'll feel much more at ease if that happens before I leave." I say it sincerely. If my family's promotion is just around the corner, I can postpone my trip a little longer. Though I'll have to contact Eisty and explain the situation first.
"Money makes the world go round, boy, and thanks to your help we've accumulated considerable wealth over the past few years. We'll use that fortune to create even more wealth. That's the only way to keep growing." She waves us goodbye as we leave the office.
"It's always enjoyable talking with Grandma Rita." Brendu wraps her arm around mine.
"It really is. Take care of her while I'm gone." I entrust that important responsibility to someone I know I can trust.