WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Ceaseless

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Northern Grand Duke’s Mad Son-in-Law ◈

Chapter 50: Trust

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Galahad tapped his fingers as he watched Damian stuff meat into his mouth.

When they first met, Damian had worn ragged clothes and sat in a shabby hut, surviving on snow.

Now, his face was clean. The noble air he had been unable to hide even when filthy had become even more apparent, making him look like the child of a high-ranking noble. It was thanks to Gwen and Tom’s care.

What was strange was that he remained painfully thin despite eating so much.

Damian was unusual. He had been taught so little that he held a sword in a reverse grip, yet his skill was real.

There was not the slightest hesitation in his swordsmanship.

Damian was a born predator. It was strange, but this was a world where people threw fireballs and infused their swords with aura.

That much of a discrepancy was understandable.

There had even been an Intelligence Bureau agent similar to Damian.

The problem was Damian’s aura.

‘Ashen aura.’

It was not something he could dismiss lightly.

“Damian, what’s your dream?”

“A dream?”

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Damian chewed for a moment. His puffed-out cheeks moved busily.

“He sure eats a lot,” Galahad muttered softly.

“I don’t really have one.”

“Then how did you awaken aura?”

It made no sense to awaken aura without a clear dream.

“I pooped with my hands.”

“Did Sir Gilbert teach you that?”

“Yes.”

Even if it was aura, awakening it by pooping with his hands...

Galahad clicked his tongue softly.

“Fine. What were you thinking about while you pooped?”

“I was thinking about pooping.”

“I see. Can you show me now?”

“I don’t need to poop here.”

“Hmm.”

Galahad found himself speechless again. Then, seeing Damian pick up meat with his hands, he handed him a fork and knife.

“My hands are more comfortable.”

“The first time is always uncomfortable.”

Galahad kindly cut the meat for him. Damian looked a little displeased.

“How many fathers did you say you had?”

“Four. Schrödinger.”

“Right, Schrödinger. Your memory is better than Sir Gilbert’s.”

Galahad smiled faintly at Damian, who still remembered Schrödinger from their first meeting.

“Do you know who your four fathers are?”

“Two of them.”

“What about the other two?”

“They were outside guests. One of them was someone my mother didn’t know at all.”

“Your mother must have been popular.”

“Yes, back then.”

“Your handsome looks must have come from your mother. Here, eat it like this.”

After cutting the meat into bite-sized pieces, Galahad held out the fork again. Damian stabbed a piece of meat with it, then put it in his mouth and chewed.

‘Two out of four.’

Galahad repeated Damian’s answer to himself.

Damian’s birth was surely connected to his ashen aura.

The most suspicious possibility was a connection to the Demonkin.

“Did your mother tell you anything about the man she didn’t know at all?”

“She said he was really small.”

Galahad coughed harshly. Damian speared five pieces of meat with his fork and put them all into his mouth.

Tom brought a cup of warm water to the coughing Galahad.

“Ah, thank you, Tom.”

Tom bowed his head and stepped back.

Wiping his mouth, Galahad stared at Damian. Damian continued eating meat as if nothing had happened.

“I see. He must have been a humble man. Did she say anything else?”

“She said he gave her wads of money, like someone paying for the first time.”

“I see.”

“Yes. She lost all of it gambling the next day.”

“Your mother was quite the gambler.”

“She only ever lost.”

“You only need to win in the end.”

“She lost in the end too.”

Galahad habitually put a cigarette in his mouth, then returned it to his pocket.

“That’s unfortunate.”

“Yeah.”

Damian kept putting meat into his mouth, wolfing it down as if he had never eaten meat before.

‘Was his father a Demonkin?’

There was nothing unusual about Damian’s mana. If anything, he had less mana than average.

The last thing left to look into was the platoons Damian had belonged to.

‘He said the Demonkin got them.’

Gilbert had already investigated that. Damian answered questions honestly. If there had been anything to uncover, it would have come out during the interrogation.

He needed more information.

‘Ah, First.’

The Intelligence Bureau was surely very interested in Galahad’s movements.

They must have gathered information on Damian, one of his unit members.

First would have brought it with him.

‘I should ask for it.’

First looked foolish at a glance, but he was straightforward, not stupid.

There was no way he did not understand the situation.

To get information from him, Galahad needed a suitable trade.

Something suitable...

‘Ah, there was that.’

Having finished his calculations, Galahad stood.

* * *

“...A training ground usage fee?”

First’s expression stiffened at Galahad’s sudden demand.

“That’s right. As you know, the Demon Realm Training Camp’s effects are considerable.”

What Galahad said was true.

The Demon Realm Training Camp here was incomparably better than the ones First had spent a fortune creating in the capital.

Still...

“Didn’t you say the Dark Magic Society made this?”

First had already gone over the situation with Pumpkin before coming to see Galahad.

According to what they had learned, the Dark Magic Society had opened this Demon Realm to target the Seventh Battalion.

And now he wanted a usage fee?

First frowned.

“That’s true. The Dark Magic Society made it. But I’m the one who suggested using it as a training camp instead of destroying it.”

“Can that thing be destroyed?”

“Of course. Can’t you destroy it?”

“...I can!”

First nodded for the moment.

If Galahad could do it, First could too.

It was only a matter of time.

At that moment, Galahad flicked his fingers. First’s eyes widened at the dazzling sparks flashing between them.

The leaping sparks soon took the shape of a flower.

Magic this delicate within the Demon Realm...

Back when they were in the Intelligence Bureau, the gap between First and Galahad had gradually narrowed.

It could not have been otherwise. The higher one’s realm in magic, the slower their growth became.

By the end, Galahad had almost seemed within reach.

‘That just now...’

Galahad had only casually displayed a bit of skill, but First fully grasped the power behind it.

The gap had widened even further.

It was more distant than before.

So distant that he could no longer see that realm.

The reason was...

‘The north.’

He had clearly grown in the north, where the mana concentration was so dense.

First did not despair at the gap that had grown more distant than ever.

‘This is my rival, Galahad.’

First sincerely rejoiced at his rival’s progress.

“Anyway, I turned a Demon Realm that should have been destroyed into a training camp. The Grand Duke even appointed me as its administrator.”

Galahad scattered the lightning flower as he spoke.

There was a flaw in Galahad’s explanation.

Galahad was practically on leave, but he still belonged to the Intelligence Bureau.

Anything Galahad obtained during a mission belonged to the Empire through the Intelligence Bureau.

The north was no exception.

First did not point that out.

The Demon Realm Training Camp was the fruit of Galahad’s efforts.

Taking it without payment would not be fair competition.

“I see.”

First nodded.

“What usage fee do you want? It won’t be money.”

“Information.”

“Information? Ah, I see. You don’t have information access rights?”

At First’s question, Galahad tapped his cigarette.

“The Grand Duke is involved, after all.”

First nodded at the explanation.

In a way, it was only natural. They had sent Galahad to become the Grand Duke’s son-in-law, so they must have revoked his information access rights in case anything happened.

Even so, revoking an agent’s access to information...

‘They abandoned him.’

Sending him to the north had not been enough. Taking away his access rights was clearly abandonment.

Considering everything Galahad had achieved in the Intelligence Bureau, to treat him like this...

First seethed inside.

“My father has done something unnecessary again. I apologize.”

“I don’t think so. That appointment wasn’t something the director could decide alone.”

First forced up the corners of his mouth at Galahad, who corrected him rather than simply accepting the apology.

“My father’s influence probably wasn’t entirely absent.”

“That’s true.”

Galahad agreed more quickly than First expected, but First nodded.

Leaking Intelligence Bureau information was a serious crime. If something happened to Galahad later, First could be implicated and punished alongside him.

That was not a problem for First.

If Galahad fell from a thousand-foot cliff, First would leap after him even if nobody pushed him.

Just as he had followed Galahad to the north.

“Fine. I accept the deal.”

First took out a notebook. It was small, but it was a magical device that released compressed information when a key was placed against it.

“Thank you.”

“It won’t take long this time.”

First smiled fiercely as Galahad accepted the notebook.

There was the Demon Realm, a perfect training ground.

This time, he would catch up to him without fail.

“Fine. Good luck.”

Galahad answered lightly.

His eyes were already fixed on the notebook. Although First had not given him the key, it was open.

“Hmm, I see.”

Galahad let out a soft sigh as he read. First, who had already memorized everything in it, knew exactly which part Galahad was reading.

“You said his name was Damian? The platoons that boy served in were certainly strange. Four platoons were attacked by Demonkin, yet the boy himself was unharmed every time?”

It was not particularly rare for Demonkin to attack a platoon in the north. There were many cases where someone survived alone, even if they were not a boy.

But four times in a row was almost unheard of.

“So I looked into it, but there was no evidence. Nothing came out during the interrogation either.”

The quality of information from the north was not very good.

Aside from the Intelligence Bureau investing little in the north, northerners did not handle information accurately in the first place.

Even this much information remained only because four of the boy’s platoons had disappeared.

First had read it all, and most of it was useless.

Still, seeing Galahad examine it so closely made him curious.

Galahad’s ability to analyze information was outstanding.

“Is there something?”

“The intervals are similar.”

“There’s no time period written there.”

First frowned. No time periods were written in Damian’s information.

All it said was which mission the incidents happened on. Even that was only an estimate. There was nothing related to time anywhere.

“The platoon sizes are written down. If you make mission schedules based on the battalion’s companies and platoons at the time, you can calculate the approximate duty schedule.”

First nodded. He wondered if there was any need to dig that deeply, but it was not wrong.

As Galahad said, it was only an approximation.

Still...

“There’s a margin of error.”

“The shortest interval is what matters. Problems began occurring after a certain period, didn’t they? For example, there was no attack on his platoon during his first mission. That means...”

Galahad tapped the notebook at First’s question.

“The margin of error must be the time spent at the battalion base before the final mission. Are they incapable of touching the battalion base?”

First nodded at Galahad’s continued explanation.

“Then it roughly matches. The intervals are similar. It’s as if the Demonkin watched him before attacking. Wait. It’s similar to the length of time he has been in the Special Operations Unit.”

Galahad closed the notebook at First’s words.

Just then, the cry of a crow came from somewhere. Galahad nodded.

“Something has come up. I need to go somewhere. Since it’s your training camp now, take good care of it.”

The period calculated from the information was similar to the length of time Damian had been in the Special Operations Unit.

Yet Galahad said he had to go somewhere.

“You intend to lure them out.”

Galahad vanished without answering.

First watched him for a moment before gripping his sword again.

“Everyone, get up! You’ve rested enough!”

The collapsed soldiers flailed.

“No, what the hell is that bastard...”

Hines whimpered softly at someone even worse than Gilbert.

* * *

“Get ready. We’re leaving immediately.”

Tom, who had been playing music, leapt to his feet at Galahad’s command.

“I already prepared everything!”

Galahad was puzzled by Tom’s brisk response.

He knew Tom was remarkably good at odd jobs. Still, Galahad had only just said it. How had he already finished preparing?

“Ah, I always keep things ready! It seemed like it was about time to leave too!”

“I see. Good. Load it onto the carriage immediately.”

“Yes! Then I’ll call Sir Gilbert too!”

Tom hurried away.

Galahad sat across from Damian, who was staring blankly ahead, and organized his thoughts.

Eight had contacted him at just the right time. The Society Head had not moved yet, but a major executive directly beneath them had arrived at the Fifth Battalion branch.

For now, he planned to head there, wiggling his hips vigorously as he went.

“Do we have to go?”

“Why not?”

“Just because.”

Damian had already gone through this four times. He seemed uneasy because his instincts sensed that the time was approaching.

“I see. I’m sorry, but we have to.”

Damian’s face fell. Galahad clicked his tongue and tapped his fingers against the table. Damian looked back up at him.

“Do you like life in the Special Operations Unit?”

“Yes, very much.”

Damian’s eyes were unusually clear as he answered.

Galahad still did not know what the ashen aura meant or what kind of conviction Damian possessed.

It could be dangerous, but he would only know once he looked into it.

It was foolish to fear losing and refuse to roll the dice instead of considering how to roll a high number.

“Protect yourself. I’ll do my best as well. You’ve trained hard, haven’t you?”

“...That’s right.”

Despite his answer, Damian still looked downcast. Galahad did not press him.

An egg was more valuable when it broke on its own.

At that moment, the door burst open and Gilbert entered. Beside him was Gwen, blackened from head to toe.

Gwen was in charge of the mid-ranking Monster the Grand Duke had left behind. Galahad had entrusted the mid-ranking Monster, inscribed with the Monster Tamer’s magic circle, to Gwen because she could communicate with the Egg of Pain. Gilbert had protected her.

“Gwen, how is the Monster?”

“It was calm, until Sir Gilbert beat up Ngingkangi!”

“It has a name like that too. Sir Gilbert, how could you beat up Kkangkkangi?”

“Ngingkangi!”

“Right, Ngingkangi.”

“No, it’s a Monster. And where are we suddenly going?”

There was a strange urgency on Gilbert’s face. First had begun training the soldiers, leaving Gilbert with less and less standing here.

“We’re returning to the Fifth Battalion. The Special Operations Unit headquarters has been completed, so I should go inspect it.”

“What? Then what happens to this place?”

“I’ve left it to a suitable person.”

“...A suitable person?”

Galahad nodded at Gilbert’s question.

First had been the agent directly below Galahad in the Intelligence Bureau.

The difference between them was considerable, but First was still the agent immediately after Galahad.

With the Seventh Battalion commander here as well, there was no need to worry much about this place.

‘It will also be good for drawing out research results.’

The Demon Realm was an extension of First’s previous training methods.

Besides, First was the sort to endure the risk of his body exploding. If Galahad left it to him, good results would surely come.

There was no reason for Galahad to remain here.

“We’re ready!”

Tom shouted from outside, and Galahad stood.

“Damian, did you eat something?! Your cheeks are so thin!”

Gwen grabbed Damian’s cheeks, and he looked at Galahad. Galahad put a cigarette in his mouth.

“Protect yourself.”

Galahad headed for the carriage.

As Tom had said, everything was ready.

Galahad climbed onto the driver’s seat. Gilbert, looking slightly dazed, took the reins.

“We’re leaving just like this?”

“Should we hold a farewell banquet instead? You’re quite extravagant.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

“Everyone is aboard!”

“Then let’s go.”

At Galahad’s light command, Gilbert unconsciously pulled the reins.

The horse began moving slowly.

“The One Recognized by the Grand Duke!”

Salutes erupted from every direction.

Unlike when they had arrived, the salutes were directed at Galahad.

Gilbert swallowed awkwardly at the frenzied respect on the soldiers’ faces.

“My popularity is quite impressive.”

Galahad had made the same joke when they arrived, but this time Gilbert could not argue.

Because it was true.

Amid fervent cheers, the carriage left the Seventh Battalion.

“It’s strange, though. Lady Adrianna left the Demon Realm behind so easily.”

Galahad shook ash from his cigarette as he answered Gilbert’s question.

“She said she trusted me.”

“I see.”

Lady Adrianna had trusted someone and left...

For Gilbert, who had served Adrianna for a long time, it was unfamiliar.

‘Well, he is the commander.’

As Gilbert muttered to himself, he suddenly felt something was strange.

In other words...

“Lady Adrianna trusted you and left the Demon Realm Training Camp in your care this morning, yet you abandoned the Seventh Battalion by that evening?”

“Abandoned? I left a suitable person in charge. Trusting me means trusting my judgment too.”

Gilbert frowned at Galahad’s relaxed response.

Had Adrianna not trusted Galahad to protect the Seventh Battalion well?

Various thoughts crossed his mind.

“I see.”

Gilbert simply held the reins.

Trying to understand Galahad would only give him a headache.

Footnotes:

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