Logan scratched his head nervously and sat down at a spot.

Then he took out a new bottle and drank it.

“……Where should I start? Yes, I mean it when I loved Benesch. I still love her.”

Benesch.

It was the alias that Logan used in the original story.

It was originally the name of the woman he loved.

After that, Logan’s story was the same as what we had heard from the informant merchant.

The only difference was that the young master did not lose his will to live nor became crippled, but was suddenly detained by his older brother and wife.

“So you’re stuck here until you stop thinking about marrying the maid?”

“Yeah. Since who knows when.”

As soon as I entered this house, I could roughly understand the situation from how they treated me.

The younger brother who said he would marry a maid must have looked like a madman.

Yet, Logan did not give up and appeared to have trained alone, looking for an opportunity to escape.

And after he succeeded in escaping, he abandoned his status as an aristocrat and became a mercenary.

Although he used to be an aristocrat, since he had lost the woman and child he loved by his own family and was imprisoned for three years, he would growl at the mention of aristocrats.

“So that’s my story. But who are you guys? What’s your aim for bringing me out?”

“I am Felia Valfruga. The current Duchess of Valfruga, and on my side is my vassal, Bircher. I’m here to scout you. Come to our castle and teach the sword.”

“What? When you say go to Valfruga, you mean the ruined duchy?”

Although I already knew in my heart that we were called the ruined duchy, it was the first time someone had said it to my face.

“Since you were locked up, it’s normal that news would come late. We are out of the mess now. Bircher, he doesn’t seem to have any manners. Shall we just go back?”

“Shall we, madam?”

As we approached the window frame we entered from, Logan hurriedly grabbed us.

“W-Wait! I was rude! I’m sorry! Don’t go!”

“Then, will you follow us?”

Looking at Logan’s situation right now, I thought he would agree, but surprisingly, he seemed to hesitate.

He spoke after thinking for a while.

“……Sorry, but I think it’s going to be difficult. I have to find someone.”

He could have just agreed, get out of here, then sneak away.

I was a little taken aback by his honesty.

“You mean the maid you were with?”

“Do you know her? Where is she now? Is she doing well?”

“I can’t exactly say she’s doing well……”

I paused for a moment.

In any case, it was pure love that was not given up even after three years of humiliation.

It was not easy to convey the message.

No matter how well you worded it out, it doesn’t change the fact that the person he loves is dead.

In that case, all I can do is convey the message without beating around the bush.

“She’s dead.”

“Lies!”

Logan cried out reflexively. 

He pointed the sword at me.

“Madam!”

“S-Say that it’s a lie right now. Otherwise, neither of y-you……!”

I looked at the sword that was aimed threateningly at me, then looked at him again.

His hand trembled madly, and his face was filled with fear.

I spoke calmly at the sight of his appearance which was denying reality. 

“I understand that you want to be mad at me, but why don’t you think about your daughter?”

Logan asked back in disbelief.

“……daughter?”

“She was pregnant. Didn’t you know?”

“I didn’t know. No one told me about that……”

Logan collapsed in place.

The sword he held dropped and made a loud noise.

“I see…I had a daughter……”

He covered his entire face with his hands.

I pretended not to notice the tears leaking through the cracks of his hands.

Logan asked in a damp voice.

“How is the child? I hope she looks more like her mother than me.”

“I don’t know. I’ve never met her.”

I’ve tasked Treon with this, so he’ll take care of it.

“Oh, is that so……”

Logan shook his head.

“So if you come with me, I will let you live with your daughter. In return, you have to work for us.”

“Really? Then, I will follow you! I will do anything!”

But Logan paused for a moment.

“But before that, give me some time. I need to sort out something.”

“What is it?”

Logan smiled with a sharp gleam in his eyes.

“I can’t just simply leave my brother and sister-in-law alone, who hid this fact from me.”

“I don’t intend to stop you either. Then, you can come with us after you complete your revenge. Shall we get out of here first?”

“About that, madam.”

“What?”

Wasn’t everything settled now?

He said he would come with us.

However, Bircher, who stared at the mana control device on Logan’s leg, said with a puzzled expression.

“I don’t think it is going to be easy to pop this off.”

“What?”

“It can be forcibly removed, but if you do, it will instantly explode. Sir Logan would most likely become a corpse and the mansion will be blown up.”

“That’s practically a bomb. Who puts that on a person’s body!”

Logan replied calmly.

“I tried running away a lot, so that’s why. Is there a way for you to solve this?”

I rubbed my throbbing forehead.

Ugh, then what to do.

A knight who can’t even use mana isn’t very helpful……

No, it’s a bomb in the first place……

Wait! Didn’t Blackie said this before……

[I can stop any attack just once. Whether it be the magic of a great wizard or an attack from a great swordsman with an aura.]

Just once.

It was an ability that could only defend one person, but it didn’t matter because only one person needed to be protected now.

“There is a way.”

“Then…!”

A glimmer of hope shone in Logan’s eyes.

“But only you’re the only one who will be safe, and the explosion will still happen, so it will practically blow up this building. In that case, once you reach an open space……”

Logan replied to me nonchalantly.

“Why bother? I wanted revenge anyway, so this works too. Although this building looks like this, it’s quite a historic building. That’s why they are still cherishing it.”

……No, this was not the reaction I expected.

“But, blowing up a building……”

That sounded like a serious crime.

When I tried to stop him, Bircher began to persuade me instead.

“Madam! Don’t hesitate! Just think about the kind of humiliation you’ve suffered since you arrived here……!”

Well, that…

I suddenly recalled the countess, who had ignored me during my arrival.

I received an invitation, and yet they didn’t prepare a place for me to sleep, so wouldn’t it be fine to just blow up this building?

Still, isn’t it too much to blow up a building?

A sharp conflict arose in my heart.

Seeing me like that, Logan spoke.

“Didn’t you say that you wouldn’t stop me from getting revenge?”

Right, in the first place, this was up to him.

He was their main victim. 

I looked at the two of them and spoke solemnly.

“Alright, let’s make an explosion. But innocent people like the knights and maids shouldn’t get hurt. Only the main building should be affected by the explosion.”

I asked Bircher.

“What exactly is the range of the explosion?”

“Based on this room, it’s about the floor above, downstairs, and the rooms on each side.”

“Then, the knights who are guarding the entrance will be safe?”

“Yes. It’s a mansion, but since the centre will be destroyed, the entire building will collapse right away. Speaking of, why do you even care about the knights? Madam is too kind. It’s because you have a good heart. These people have never been nice to us. Why don’t we just get rid of them instantly?”

For some reason, Bircher suggested enthusiastically.

Logan, who should have stopped him when he mentioned that he would kill the knights of his family, simply turned a deaf ear.

It was as if he had lost all his pride in his family.

It was me, with no relation, who tried to stop Bircher.

“They are simply doing what the family instructs them to do anyway. By the way Logan, how are you going to escape?”

“What escape?”

“The only thing I can stop with my ability is the initial explosion. If the mansion starts to collapse, won’t you be crushed to death?”

“Hahaha!”

Logan laughed out loud.

“What? Why are you laughing?”

Was he teasing me?

Staring at him with my eyes narrowed, Logan wiped away his tears and apologised.

“No, sorry. It’s been so long since I’ve received that kind of worry.”

He answered with confidence.

“After the explosion, this damn mana control device will disappear too, so I can use mana.”

“So what?”

“I guess you still don’t quite understand what it means to use mana, do you?”

“It just increases your speed, strengthens the body……Ah!”

I realised it while answering.

“The strengthened body can withstand being hit by some debris, and with your speed increased, you can escape quickly!”

“I’d rather be slashed with a sword than get my body crushed.”

In the original story, the male lead could split a mountain with a sword.

To think that I forgot that people who use mana shouldn’t be considered ordinary people. 

I clapped my hands.

“Then, there is nothing to worry about anymore!”

After that, it was a breeze.

It was not a very difficult plan, but we discussed and worked on the details of the plan until the sun came up.

*  *  *

Please do not repost. Read only at Dropped Inks.

The next day and the day after that, Countess Rothrun continued to only invite Luc to dinner.

If they were going to do this, why was I invited to the castle in the first place?

Was it Treon’s doing?

Then, the day of the operation came.

Early in the morning, Luc and I were busy packing our things.

And I made Luc say, ‘I must stop by Lake Anse and return.’

“Is that all I have to say?”

“Yes.”

I nodded and adjusted Luc’s clothes one last time.

After eating the breakfast the maid had brought for me, all the servants that came along with us had to pack their bags. 

Before tonight’s explosion, we were all going to leave this house. 

If I had continued to remain there, it would only raise suspicion.

Luc, who had returned from breakfast, asked me as we entered the carriage.

“Sister. Are we going home now?”

“Does Luc want to go home soon?”

Luc nodded without hesitation.

“Yes. I can’t eat with sister when I’m here, and the countess keeps insulting sister. I hate it. They keep telling me to divorce sister and marry their daughter.”

It seems that they were eyeing him after the hair loss medicine business was a success.

After all, he had quite a bit of money, a high title, and was young and handsome.

Luc was the top-best groom.

“So what did Luc say?”

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