WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B
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◈ Whispers of a Scheming Demon ◈
Chapter 19: Domination (1)
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After finishing his meal, Johan headed straight for Raguel's room.
‘He must be hungry.’
Raguel had been left to starve alone. By the Baron's order, he could not appear at official functions. Naturally, he had not been allowed to attend the banquet either.
Feeling sorry for him, Johan intended to bring him some food.
Holding a basket of food, Johan turned the doorknob.
The room came into view. Raguel sat curled up on the bed, staring straight ahead.
“Who is it?”
“It's me.”
Confusion and anticipation crossed the boy's face at once.
“If it's you, then...”
“Your brother.”
Raguel's mouth fell wide open.
“Johan!”
“The difference in my voice must be quite drastic.”
His voice changed as dramatically as his appearance between his demon state and human form.
“You sound like a completely different person.”
The distinctive chill in his voice was entirely gone. Johan's current voice was calm, with a touch of youthful softness.
“I am, in fact, a separate being. Right now, I'm an ordinary human. So the way you treat me must be different as well.”
“The way I treat you?”
“Yes. Let's start with what you call me. During the day, call me Brother.”
Using the name Johan both day and night might give some unknown person a lead.
Understanding the situation, Raguel scratched his head.
“Wouldn't it be better to give the demon and the human separate names?”
“You're right, but no name comes to mind at the moment. For now, do as I say.”
“I will.”
“Now, what are you supposed to call me?”
Raguel answered with an awkward expression.
“...Brother?”
“Do you dislike it? If you do, I can play the younger brother. I don't mind either way.”
Raguel hurriedly waved his hands.
“It isn't that I dislike it. I'm just not used to it. And Johan seems more suited to being the older brother than me...”
Johan snorted.
“Do whatever makes you comfortable.”
“I-I'll call you Brother. During the day.”
Johan nodded and placed the food basket on the table.
“This is my first duty as your brother. Eat.”
“What is it?”
“I brought you food. You must have been starving.”
When Johan handed him a piece of bread, Raguel beamed.
“Thank you, Johan. No, Brother.”
It was a small kindness, but it was enough to make the boy smile.
The moment he happily bit into the bread, a familiar voice spoke.
“You're quite thoughtful. Not very demon-like.”
Ilea entered the room.
“I prepared your meal as well.”
Ilea had not attended the banquet either. She had been carrying out Johan's request.
She smiled playfully.
“You aren't planning to settle everything with food, are you?”
“I'll grant one of your requests next time. So, where's the item?”
Ilea pulled a notebook from her clothes.
“I searched the treasurer's room thoroughly. He'd hidden it at the very back of the drawer.”
The item she had stolen was the tax ledger.
“You have a talent for theft as well. Good work.”
“Is that praise?”
“It depends on how you take it.”
“I'll put it back.”
“I was joking. Let me see.”
Pretending to sulk, Ilea handed the ledger to Johan.
Johan began reading through it.
The taxes collected from the five villages of the Myatro territory were recorded in detail.
The total tax revenue included grain, livestock, silver coins, woolen cloth, and more. This year's income alone was enough to fill the castle's granaries.
“They squeezed them dry, even during a famine.”
Last year, a terrible famine had struck the south, reducing grain production to a quarter of its usual amount. Yet the taxes had not been reduced at all.
Instead, they had demanded even more wealth than the year before.
“They've been sucking the lifeblood out of fleas.”
“The granaries should be overflowing.”
“You'll need to expand them.”
Raguel, who had been listening to their conversation, hesitantly spoke.
“W-wouldn't it be better to lower the taxes a little instead?”
Johan snorted.
“Whether we expand the granaries or lower the taxes, I need to see the actual situation with my own eyes first. Ledgers and reality occasionally differ.”
Ilea nodded.
“They might be surprisingly empty.”
“Then this will become interesting.”
“Shall we visit them now?”
“Finish your meal first.”
“All right.”
Raguel looked back and forth between them in confusion.
Ilea smiled.
“Let's get some fresh air. The Little Young Master should come downstairs with us too. It must be stifling to stay in this room all the time.”
She looked at Johan.
“That is all right, isn't it, Eldest Young Master?”
“I don't mind.”
* * *
“That damned bastard-born brat.”
The Baron's knight slammed an empty shelf with his fist.
The old planks splintered, sending the accumulated dust billowing into the air.
The treasurer, covered in dust, brushed off his bald head as he spoke.
“I knew this day would come! We've embezzled far too much. There's no way to fix this now! If that bastard compares the ledgers with the actual goods, we're finished!”
The granary, which should have been packed with wealth, was as shabby as a shed in a slum.
Cheap furs, piles of hay, and rotten spices lay scattered inside. The place was desolate.
The knight shouted.
“Then rewrite the ledgers! In a famine like this, a full granary would be even more suspicious!”
“Do you think that's easy? He ordered the grain records and tax ledgers presented by tonight! There isn't enough time to forge all of it!”
“Come now, Treasurer! What could a child barely ten years old know, even if he looks at the ledgers? We only need to make them look plausible!”
Doubt crossed the treasurer's face.
“He's no ordinary child! Didn't he corner you and manipulate us all? There's an old snake inside that tiny body! He'll certainly notice something is wrong!”
The knight flared up and drew his sword.
“Corner me? Who dares?”
The terrified treasurer stepped back.
“W-why are you doing this? Please calm down.”
“Listen carefully.”
The knight lowered his voice.
“He's nothing but a lowborn bastard raised among beggars. He probably can't even read, much less understand a ledger. And I wasn't driven back by him. I merely endured it for the Baron's dignity. Do you understand?”
The treasurer swallowed hard.
“Y-yes, I understand, so please put away your sword.”
The knight spat on the floor and sheathed his blade.
“Stop talking nonsense and get to work. We must prepare the ledgers before sunset.”
The treasurer wiped away his cold sweat. He would rewrite the ledgers because the knight had forced him to, but there were too many things that worried him.
He took out paper and a pen.
“...The ink won't even be dry. If something goes wrong, I'm not responsible.”
“We have Lord Kryll. Even if something goes wrong, we can seek his protection. And the moment Lord Kryll becomes Baron, all our current hardships will be rewarded.”
The treasurer sighed and dipped his pen in ink.
As he was about to write the first line, an old scraping sound rang out before him.
The granary door had opened.
The knight shouted.
“Who is there?”
Familiar faces entered with the light of the setting sun.
“Why are you so surprised? Who else would come here?”
It was Johan's voice.
Raguel, who had come with him, timidly greeted the knight.
“L-Lord Rail, it has been a long time.”
The knight did not even spare Raguel a glance. He only glared at Johan.
“...What brings you here?”
“I stopped by while I was at it. There are things I wanted to confirm. But it's empty.”
At the same time, an unpleasant sound filled the room.
Ilea had locked the granary door. She approached Johan and spoke.
“Just as expected.”
“Let's hear your excuse first.”
Johan looked at the knight.
“The granary is bare. What happened?”
The knight answered calmly.
“The south has suffered drought for years. When everyone is starving to death, do you think nobles are any different?”
“A pathetic excuse. You lack creativity.”
“What did you say?”
Johan threw the ledger Ilea had stolen onto the floor.
The treasurer's eyes widened.
“Why is that...!”
Ilea smiled gently.
“Isn't a drawer rather predictable, Treasurer?”
“D-don't tell me you...”
“That is what happened.”
The knight looked flustered as well.
“Ilea, why are you helping the bastard?”
She tilted her head.
“What a strange question. The Eldest Young Master is the heir of the Baron's house. We should all serve him.”
“I thought you were clever!”
“I've unintentionally disappointed you.”
Johan snorted.
“You must have been quite close.”
“He was merely a way to pass the time. The lord's castle was boring before you arrived, Young Master.”
The knight let out a disbelieving laugh.
“Two damned brats have decided to make a fool of me!”
Johan's smile vanished.
“You're showing your true colors. Since you've become honest, tell me the truth. Where did you divert the taxes?”
The treasurer answered in his place.
“D-divert them? No! We merely moved them elsewhere! As you can see, this warehouse is too small to store the tribute goods!”
Johan nodded.
“That isn't entirely wrong. Then tell me where you moved them.”
“T-that is...”
Johan's eyes turned cold.
“Could it be my uncle's granary?”
The knight and treasurer froze at the same time.
“It seems I'm correct.”
The knight immediately shouted.
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
“I found it strange. How could a wanderer expelled from the house gather an army of three hundred and fund it?”
“With the support of Count Staviana, that would be more than possible!”
Count Staviana was the leader of the noble faction and the kingdom's chancellor.
“Support from House Staviana. You know information that only someone close to my uncle would know.”
Realizing his mistake, the knight sharply furrowed his brow.
“You are certainly a traitor. Or perhaps you were my uncle's spy from the beginning. Either way, it doesn't matter. Admit your crimes and kneel.”
The knight swept his gaze around the room. Other than himself and the treasurer, there were only three children present.
As a knight, he could cut them down in a single stroke and leave the castle.
Rather than find out why his espionage had been exposed, escaping this place was the urgent matter.
He reached for his waist.
“Kneel? I have no knees to bend before a lowborn wretch like you!”
As he tried to draw his sword, confusion twisted his expression.
The sword would not come free. No matter how hard he struggled, he could not pull out the blade.
The knight lowered his eyes.
Horror filled his face.
His hand and sword hilt had frozen white and fused together.
“W-what is this...”
Magic. A power forbidden by the kingdom's laws. A blasphemous miracle had bound him.
There was an apostate here.
The knight immediately looked ahead.
Blue Mana flickered around Ilea.
She formed a gentle smile.
“If you draw that sword, you'll die.”
“Y-you bitch, don't tell me...!”
“No. Now that you've seen magic, you won't survive no matter what you do.”
Ilea then looked at Johan.
“Do I have your permission, Young Master?”
“Leave him breathing. The knight's body will be useful.”
The knight was valuable material. If handled well, he could be made into a fine work.
Looking out the window, Johan added,
“The sun will set soon. I must be going. We have no need for the treasurer, so deal with him as you please.”
Ilea pretended to click her tongue.
“You truly are a demon. I will do as you command.”
The moment she finished speaking, countless formulas began to engulf the granary.
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