BXBX NOVEL Chapter 447
Chapter 447
「Haa, haa, haa……damn that brat, Vosk. I will not……forgive you, I will not forgive you, I will not forgive you for this……treatment towards the Levisor family. I will definitely pay this back in future.」
When the Silva and Levisor families had clashed, Schaffner had been unable to put up a decent resistance and was swallowed up by the overwhelming force of the Silva family as he was helplessly defeated.
His escape had only been made possible by his loyal servants, who had served the Levisor family for generations. But even they were gone now.
In order to let him escape, each of them had taken the role of a decoy to distract the Silva family.
However, for Schaffner, it was only natural they would do that since they served him. No, rather, the fact that he had just lost to the Silva family was now replaced by disappointment for his subordinates.
「They’re all the same. It’s only natural that they help me escape, but there should have been people still helping me now. When this matter is settled, I must order them to be re-trained from the bottom up……haa, haa.」
It was a tropical night where one would sweat just by walking. The clouds were so think that even the moon that would normally illuminate the night sky was hidden. Along with the high humidity, it was causing Schaffner’s stamina to be exhausted.
Normally, he would have been relaxing inside his mansion with magic items providing cool air. Why then was he moving around in such a hot and humid environment, worried if anyone saw him?
It was like he was a soldier that had been defeated in a war.
While he was too proud to admit it, whether he liked it or not, his current situation was nothing more than a defeated soldier.
「Fuu, fuu, fuu……just, a little further.」
As he tried to hide himself in the darkness of the night, he wipe the sweat that was coming from his forehead.
After escaping from the Levisor residence, Schaffner had been hiding in one of his safehouses. But, because he couldn’t do anything there but hide, he ended up leaving the place under the over of night to make Vosk pay for his irreverence towards him.
That said, while he would never admit it, there was no doubt he was somewhat worried about hiding in the safehouse on his own.
「Just a little more……I’m almost at the Marschel residence. Just you watch……just you watch, you Silva brat.」
Fortunately for Schaffner, who was out of breath as he made his way towards the Marschel residence, most of Exil’s residents were holed up in their own homes after the conflict between the Silva and Levisor families earlier in the day.
Of course, not everyone was at home, there were those who were feasting in the bars as if such events didn’t matter. However, relatively speaking, few people were out in the city, and with the moon hidden by the clouds, he was able to make his way to the Marschel residence without being spotted by his pursuers from the Silva family.
Although his bloated pride would never let him admit it, he was scared. Just like a prey being chased by a predator, frightened as he made his way through the darkness with no light……
「I’m sorry, but please stop there.」
Whoosh.
At the not quite human voice coming from behind him, Schaffner froze for a moment before turning around at a speed that didn’t match his age.
Schaffner himself had almost no combat knowledge and only had basic training. In more recent days, he neglected even his basic training, so his fast movements were purely out of fear.
At any rate, darkness was the only thing Schaffner could see when he turned around. He hurried looked about in a panic and shouted as if to hide the horror that was rising through him.
「W-W-Who is it! Don’t you know I’m Schaffner Levisor, head of the Levisor family!」
「Please be quiet. If you cause a commotion here, you’ll be heard by those watching the Marschel residence.」
Same as before, an unclear voice came from the darkness.
Schaffner finally realised it wasn’t the voice of a human and the fear he had managed to suppress exploded as the urge to run away while screaming came up from his heart……
「It can’t be helped. I will have to carry out master’s orders.」
「-!?」
The voice that came from the darkness was suddenly heard beside his ears……the next moment, Schaffner lost consciousness as he collapsed to the ground.
Right next to the old man lying on the ground, covered in dust, was a small doll about 30cm tall. When it raised its hand slightly towards the darkness, a doll about 2m tall appeared, picking up Schaffner from the ground.
「Seriously, even though there are people watching master’s residence.」
The 30cm tall doll shrugged its shoulders as if it were a human before moving its head to face the 2m doll standing beside it.
「At any rate, things are proceeding according to master’s orders. Let’s go back.」
「……」
The 2m doll nodded silently before heading for the mansion where its beloved master was waiting, unnoticed by the people from the Silva family who were watching the perimeter of the Marschel residence.
「……Mm? Here is……I was sure……-ouch-! W-Where the hell am I!?」
Schaffner woke up and rushed to get up before realising from the pain in his body that he was lying on hard ground and not on a bed or sofa.
A moment later, he heard a jarring sound and at the same time felt a cold sensation around his ankle.
Quickly turning to look, what he saw was unexpected yet expected at the same time.
That is, there was an ankle shackle around his ankle with a chain extending from it.
The end of the chain was connected to a metal ring embedded in a corner of what appeared to be a room……or more precisely a cobblestone prison.
「W-What is this? I was……no, I was sure I was close to the Marschel residence.」
Recalling his memories before fainting, he eventually gave a small gasp.
「That’s right. I thought I heard some strange voices……」
「Heh, a strange voice? Can you tell me what kind of voice it was like?」
「It spoke human words but……who is this-!?」
He turned in the direction of the voice he just heard.
A single figure stood on the other side of the entrance to the prison where Schaffner was currently trapped.
A presence so unnatural that even though he knew there was someone there, he couldn’t tell if they were actually there.
A person who’s face couldn’t be seen even with the light that illuminated the area around the prison.
When he had looked around the moment he woke up, there definitely hadn’t been anyone there. And yet, without a single sound of a footstep, there was someone suddenly there.
「This robe certainly is useful. The only drawback is that the effect wears off as soon as you move even slightly.」
It was a middle aged woman in her 40’s with many pieces of jewellery on her body. Hair ornaments, necklaces, earrings, rings, and bangles. She was also wearing a variety of other accessories which were also visible.
Schaffner immediately knew who it was. She was one of the people with whom he had ruled Exil with for decades, and she was the person he had also been hoping to ask for help, although in his mind, he had been expecting her to ask for his help.
「Pree!?」
「Yes. It’s been a long time Schaffner-san. How are you doing?」
「Nothing good is happening! Get these chains off me and get me out of here! Do you understand who I am!?」
Schaffner shouted at Pree until his face went red, but Press just ignored him as she looked at one of her rings lovingly.
She didn’t look at Schaffner at all……and spoke up as if he wasn’t even worth as much as her rings.
「Yes, I understand, of course. You’re an idiot who experimented with magic stones to create the abnormal species and attacked the Silva family when they started to investigate, right?」
「Why, y-you……showing such cheek towards the head of the Levisor family!」
At those owrds, Pree let out a giggle.
It was the kind of laughter that was a mix of a smile and ridicule when seeing a funny trick.
Because of his bloated pride, Schaffner couldn’t stand her attitude of contempt and screamed at her.
「What……what’s wrong with you! It was the Marschel family that attacked the Silva family’s warehouse after all! I was just dragged into it!」
「Ara~, ara~, I can’t believe you still only know that much. No, that’s probably why you were chosen to begin with. ……Well, where do I start? Well, let’s start with that.」
With a smile on her face, one filled with malice, Pree giggled as she spoke.
「The position of head of the Levisor family, which have been guarding for so long, is no longer yours.」
「……What?」
「Vosk has installed Cardia as the new head of the Levisor family.」
「That’s ridiculous!」
Schaffner shouted back at Pree’s words without a second thought.
It wasn’t unreasonable for Schaffner to respond as such, as that was the name of someone he recognised as mediocre and useless, despite being someone from his own blood.
「Do you think……such selfishness is allowed!」
「yes, of course. After all, not only the Silva family, but I, the head of the Marschel family, have agreed. There will be no procedural problems.」
「Wha-! Don’t be stupid! In the first place you and the Silva family……-!?」
Shouting up to that point, his face bright red with anger, he eventually stopped and gulped as if something had just occurred to him.
「You……you were working with the Silva family from the beginning? You and the others arranged this incident in order to take control of the Levisor family……」
「……Eh?」
After being told something so unexpected, Pree had a completely surprised expression on her face?
However, the next moemtn, she couldn’t hold back her laughter as she covered her mouth to try to stop it.
「Fufufu……ahahahaha, I see, I see. I can’t help seeing that from your point of view. ……But, I’m sorry. The correct answer is……bring him to me.」
「Yes, master.」
Schaffner heard the inhuman like voice from before he fainted. A few minutes later, a door to where the prison was located was opened.
「Pardon me. I heard you wanted to see me?」
「Yes. He seems to have a strange misunderstanding. I thought it was time I taught him a lesson in reality. ……Hey, Schaffner. You recognise him, don’t you?」
「……Why, why……why are you here, Oricule!」
The man was called Oricule. He was the man, who until a few days ago, was supposed to be working together with Schaffner as the envoy from the Church of Holy Light.
He was the man behind the Church of Holy Light and someone Schaffner had used heavily.
However, even when Schaffner’s face turned red as he glared at him, Oricule didn’t seem to care about it at all……no, he just sighed as he turned to face Pree.
「You didn’t have to go out of your way to tell him about me, did you?」
「Unfortunately, your relationship needs to be properly cut. Besides, wouldn’t be more convenient for him to carry his hatred in his heart as experimental material?」
Schaffner’s face grew redder and redder with anger at the conversation taking place before him.
「Oricule……you’ve been plotting against me!?」
「I never said I was plotting against you. We just need to dispose of tools that are no longer useful, don’t we?」
「A tool……I’m not a tool! I am a ruler of Exil!」
If people could kill with hatred, Schaffner’s glare would have been enough to kill the two people in front of him several times……no, dozens of times over.
However, there was nothing he could do, as he was chained up in a prison.
All he could do was bottle up the hatred for the two people in front of him in his heart.
From the conversation between Pree and Oricule, Schaffner knew that was exactly want the two of them wanted, but he couldn’t suppress the anger welling up from inside him.