"Interesting. Killing Imperial nobles is a grave sin. In the eyes of the Empire, Your Excellency is indeed an unmitigated villain."
Aaron did not answer immediately. Instead, he offered a teasing remark, and Glück did not refute it.
Glück's gaze shifted slightly toward Nanoda, his expression pensive.
"Since you want money, why not just rob people? You already have the ability to secretly kill other nobles," Nanoda interjected abruptly.
Glück frowned slightly. He hadn't expected Aaron to allow a mere follower to speak so casually.
"Heh, in that case, what would be the difference between me and those beasts in human clothing who plunder at will? Although I am a villain, the guys I killed were villains beyond redemption. How about this? Before you decide, please listen to a story of mine."
Glück lit a cigarette and spoke slowly.
"A few years ago, I lost in the power struggles of the Imperial Capital and came here to Weise. Here, the families of various nobles used their authority to carry out autocratic tyranny to satisfy their own selfish desires."
"The law existed in name only. Corruption permeated everything, and many citizens starved to death every year. As the Lord, I was full of worry about this situation, yet I was also powerless."
"Humans are strange creatures. They won't act until the fire burns their own asses."
Glück took a drag from the cigarette butt, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
"However, my son was different from me. He was a guy full of a sense of justice. He reported everything here directly to powerful nobles."
"Then, he died."
"Those nobles said he jumped from a balcony to commit suicide. But, would someone who had just prepared a gift for his sister commit suicide?"
"To be honest, at the time, I didn't understand how someone could do such a cruel thing with a calm face—until I understood after doing the same thing myself."
"Just ordering a subordinate 'Kill him' is enough. It's truly laughable. Such a thing that even an idiot can do."
Hearing this, Nanoda already had the answer in her heart.
"You are taking revenge for your son, right?"
"Correct, but I want to work hard to carry out my son's will even more. Everything I do is just to make this world move closer to my son's ideal."
"At least, that is what I think, and I hope that is what I think. That is all."
Having finished recounting his experience, only a cigarette butt remained in Glück's hand.
"I think Gaderia, which can remain independent under the Empire, would be a very good ally. After all, the enemies you will face are the same as mine."
He stared at the two, awaiting their answer.
"As expected... you pass."
Nanoda agreed immediately. Aaron, who was still considering it on the side, was stunned and asked, "You're not going to ask what happens if we refuse?"
"We won't lose anything. Besides, we made quite a lot selling antidotes earlier."
Nanoda was nonchalant and took a sip of black tea.
"Who exactly is the Lord of Gaderia? Didn't we agree we were just coming to listen?"
Glück couldn't quite see through the attitude of these two. With such a dialogue, what exactly was the relationship between that unknown young girl and Aaron?
"Can we consider the transaction reached then?"
Aaron sighed. Actually, he was quite tempted as well. Seeing Nanoda's confident appearance, he also agreed with her view.
"Yes. Shall we discuss the specific detailed content after I make arrangements?"
"No problem."
Tossing the cigarette butt into the ashtray filled with stubs, Glück extended a hand.
Aaron and Glück shook hands. Gaderia and Weise were officially allied.
After Nanoda and Aaron had departed, the office door was pushed open, and a figure with a towering build walked in.
"You persuaded them with the same rhetoric you used to persuade me back then?"
The newcomer's voice was indifferent, carrying not a trace of emotion.
"When you were peeking from next door, what did you think of those two? You should be very good at observing people's expressions."
After putting away the empty teacup, he answered Glück's question.
"The bald man looks smart, a bit like you. As for the one beside him... I can't quite see through her. She was casual and relaxed the whole time. When you said those words, she seemed to have expected them."
"If I asked you to kill them?" Glück narrowed his eyes.
"I would go," the tall man answered without any hesitation.
"Hehe, I'm joking. Don't take it seriously; it hasn't reached that stage yet."
Glück lit another cigarette and sat down to smoke. Amidst the rising smoke, the scene from that year seemed to reappear before his eyes.
"Damn it, I shouldn't have talked about it."
On the carriage returning home.
"Aren't you curious about that Glück's methods? I wanted to chat more and fish for some intelligence."
Aaron took off his gloves and tie, throwing them on the floor. The elegant temperament from the banquet instantly vanished. Feeling much more relaxed, he whistled.
"Do you trust me?"
Nanoda sat upright opposite him, taking off the black high heels with purple soles from her feet. Her fair and tender soles were flushed pale red, faintly aching.
Glancing at Nanoda who was taking off her shoes, Aaron nodded consciously.
"I trust you. Without you, I wouldn't have today."
If not for Nanoda, Aaron would still be leading his people as a bandit in the wilderness.
"Because it all adds up. I've also found it. This is an opportunity. Guess why Glück wants to trade with money?"
"Because he's still very poor?"
"Half right. You saw his daughter, Lektire, too, right? That child has had a weak body since she was young. Glück needs to pay a huge sum of fees to treat her illness."
"So, that's why he attempted to seek our cooperation. Aren't you afraid he'll get rid of us just like he got rid of those nobles?"
"No, he won't. He isn't a pure villain. As for his method of solving those nobles, I have also already verified it."
"Alright, leave the details of the cooperation to me to handle."
Aaron scratched his head and didn't ask any more questions.
Under the coachman's whip, the horses let out a neigh and galloped swiftly toward Gaderia.
Inside the Lord's Office in Weise, Glück finished the last cigarette of the day.
"You should rest early."
Hearing the reminder from the tall man beside him, Glück waved his hand.
"I'm fine, Macht."
The tall man wore a dark green military uniform, brown leather boots, and deep crimson gloves. A blue velvet robe was draped over his right shoulder. Purple hair hung down, with two strands resting on his shoulders, and a pair of long horns shaped like angular brackets declared his identity as a member of the Demon Race.
This was none other than the strongest of the Seven Sages of Destruction who had disappeared from human sight for a long time after the war—Macht of the Golden Land!
His Universal Golden Transmutation Magic was like a curse; apart from himself, no one has been able to dispel it to this day.
It must be known that Frieren only managed to find a way to lift this magic decades later by reading Macht's memories.
____
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