Though he found it absurd internally, Ian didn’t argue and simply replied, “Then take about ten trustworthy ‘uncles’ with you. That should be enough, right?”
The ‘uncles’ he referred to were Nea’s subordinates—Schrantz’s “shadows,” or in other words, operatives.
Since killing the Earl within Schrantz territory could cause complications, Ian was implying it should be handled in Gins Village, which was still under the Earl’s jurisdiction.
The reason Ian wanted him dead rather than letting him live was simple:
‘If the Earl of Erce survives, he’ll definitely stab us in the back later.’
That was the kind of man he was.
Someone who would endlessly cause trouble if left alive.
So Ian had decided to erase him from this world entirely.
And this was exactly what Nea had been hoping for.
‘The Young Master is giving me an even greater opportunity.’
He was giving her the chance to exact revenge with her own hands.
Nea couldn’t have been more grateful.
[Nea expresses immense gratitude for the opportunity you’ve given her. Loyalty has increased significantly.]
[Nia’s loyalty has reached its peak. She will never betray you, no matter what.]
Ian grinned, and Nea showed similar expression.
Though they weren’t related by blood, their smiles looked eerily similar—like siblings.
Truly, a lord and his vassal were cut from the same cloth.
***
Hubert had sent the Earl of Erce back to his territory with only three soldiers as escorts.
These three would remain as soldiers of the Earldom of Erce.
The entire journey back, the Earl’s expression remained dark.
“Damn whelp of Schrantz. How dare he take my prized steed and leave me with this useless, old, sick horse?”
A horse that tired quickly and had no stamina—one he wouldn’t have even glanced at under normal circumstances.
Being forced to ride it was nothing short of humiliating.
He could vividly picture Hubert’s smug face back in Rosen’s lord’s castle, laughing at his predicament.
‘I won’t forget this shame and humiliation. Not ever.’
He would obstruct Hubert’s plans by any means necessary. And if an opportunity arose, he would take his life.
The Earl smirked.
‘There’s still a chance.’
He recalled Nea’s face.
It seemed they still had no idea she was his spy.
‘I heard those Schrantz bastards cherish their family above all else?’
If so, he would make them suffer in the worst possible way.
‘Cursed Schrantz dogs. Laugh while you can. Your lives won’t last much longer. I’ll make sure your entire family dies together, choking on their own blood in agony.’
Lost in thoughts of returning to his office and issuing another assassination order, the Earl chuckled inwardly.
The last attempt had failed, but thankfully, it hadn’t been traced back to him.
This time, he would ensure there were no mistakes.
Whizz—!
Just then, an ominous sound cut through the air.
Thud!
Neighhh—!
“Wha—? Wh-what?!”
An arrow struck the horse out of nowhere, and it collapsed with a pained scream.
The Earl, still mounted, was thrown to the ground, his leg pinned under the horse, leaving him immobilized.
“Hahaha! So the rumors about the lord coming were true!”
“Today’s haul is gonna be huge!”
At the shouts from the darkness, the soldiers’ faces turned pale.
“B-bandits!”
“Run!”
The soldiers escorting him immediately bolted.
“Y-you bastards! Where do you think you’re going?! You’re supposed to protect me! Damn you!”
No matter how much he screamed, the soldiers showed no intention of returning.
“Seeing your own men abandon you like this—guess you’re not a lord worth trusting, huh?”
A girl’s voice, completely out of place in what should have been a bandit attack, reached his ears.
And it was a voice he knew all too well.
Soon, a girl looked down at him from above.
“Nea?”
A girl with brown eyes and brown hair.
One look at her face, and he immediately recognized her.
The Earl couldn’t understand why she was here.
At first, he was confused and disoriented, but realization—and fury—soon dawned on him.
“Nea… You’ve been deceiving me all this time?!”
He recalled why he had sent her in the first place—and the conclusion was obvious.
She had betrayed him.
Nea smirked.
“Finally figured it out? Though I guess that’s typical of you—all ambition, no awareness of your own limits.”
She mocked him openly.
The Earl’s rage flared again at her taunts.
“You do know I still have Hannah, don’t you?! If I die, your mother’s life is forfeit!”
“Going to kill my mother? Go ahead. If you can.”
“……What?”
The Earl’s pupils trembled as if an earthquake had struck.
He hadn’t expected her to respond so coldly.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice her disappearance?”
The Earl flinched.
Only now did he understand why she wasn’t fazed by his threat.
Desperate, he scrambled for another excuse.
“Nea…! I’m your father! How can you think of killing your own flesh and blood?!”
Nea’s face hardened instantly.
For a moment, the Earl thought his words had struck a chord—
Thud!
“Guh—!”
—but instead, Nea kicked him in the head.
Emphasizing their blood ties had been a mistake.
She loathed their shared blood more than anything.
“What kind of father drives out his own wife, imprisons her later, and then blackmails his daughter into becoming a spy in enemy territory?”
The things the Earl had done to her and her mother made it impossible for her to ever see him as family.
Hatred had long since eclipsed any familial bond.
She crouched in front of him.
“But you’re right. No matter how much I deny it, I am your blood. So as your kin, let me share some good news.”
“News…?”
“Mother is in Rosen.”
“What? You mean Hannah wasn’t kidnapped by bandits—?!”
Stab!
“……!”
An excruciating pain erupted from the Earl’s left chest.
Nea had driven a dagger into his heart.
“Shh. Don’t say anything else. Just… let it go.”
Thud.
The Earl’s hand fell limply to the ground, his pupils dilating.
‘I wanted to make him suffer more.’
His death had been too quick—too merciful. But there was no helping it.
She stood up.
“Make it look like bandits did it.”
“Leave it to us, Boss. That’s our specialty.”
They moved swiftly. From the clothes the Earl of Erce was wearing to the horse’s saddle—
They stuffed everything into sacks without leaving a single trace.
“It’s done.”
The Earl hadn’t been carrying much, so it didn’t take long to strip him clean.
Nea glanced around.
It definitely looked like the work of bandits—nothing more, nothing less.
“Alright, let’s head back. Oh, and you guys report to the Young Master yourselves.”
“Huh? You’re not going to report to him, Boss?”
Normally, it was always Nea who reported to Ian.
Unlike them, she was his personal maid—the one closest to him.
“I’m on leave now. The Young Master approved it, so just go with that.”
Since Ian had given his permission, they had no choice but to accept.
“Understood. We’ll handle it.”
“Good. Let’s get out of here before anyone sees us.”
Everything was settled.
All that was left for Nea was to enjoy her vacation.
Eager to reunite with her mother as soon as possible, she urged her horse forward.
Now that everything was resolved, she could finally go to her.
***
Ian, who had originally planned to loot what he could and return to Rosen, ended up staying at the villa.
His purpose had shifted—no longer just about spoils, but now about guarding the legacy texts.
This wasn’t part of his original plan, but it was time well spent.
He frequently visited the secret training hall, beginning to master the third chapter.
It felt like the first Count of Schrantz himself was personally passing down the family’s swordsmanship to his descendants.
Several days passed like this.
Then, Hugo arrived—dragging his still-recovering body to the place Ian had occupied.
The Earl of Erce’s villa.
“It’s been so long… So very long. Finally… we’ve reclaimed our ancestral home.”
As Hugo shed tears of emotion, those around him were similarly moved.
Ian had taken this villa to flex Schrantz’s power and to loot what he could—
‘I had no idea this was actually Schrantz’s ancestral home.’
What he thought was just the Earl of Erce’s villa turned out to be the original seat of House Schrantz.
“Ian. Have you heard the news?”
“What news would that be?”
“The Earl of Erce was killed in his own territory—attacked by bandits.”
“Huh? Really? That’s hard to believe. How did it happen?”
Word of the Earl’s death had reached Hugo and Hubert.
Of course, Ian had known since the day it happened, thanks to his operatives, but he feigned surprise.
They seemed completely unaware of his involvement.
“Ambushed at night, they say. His horse was shot down, and he was killed by bandits’ blades.”
“What a tragic turn of events.”
“Yes. A real tragedy.”
Despite their words, neither Hugo nor Hubert looked the least bit mournful.
Ian, of course, was no different.
Hugo, especially, was barely holding back laughter.
Revenge had been achieved. The Earl’s ambitions weren’t just crushed—they were obliterated.
It felt like all the suffering they’d endured at his hands had been repaid in full.
“Fortunately, his body was returned safely to his family. They must be holding the funeral as we speak. I should send a letter of condolence to his heir.”
The Earl’s successor was only fourteen.
Fourteen—the minimum legal age to inherit a territory.
‘With the family defeated in the territorial war and the heir so young, the vassals will run wild.’
After losing to Schrantz and with the Earl dead, that was the future awaiting the Earldom of Erce.
‘And they’ll be under constant pressure from Duke Endran.’
The Great Schrantz Alliance had defied the Duke’s will by waging war.
As long as Duke Endran lived, they wouldn’t escape his scrutiny.
The Earl’s heir, now at the mercy of his vassals, faced a bleak future—but Ian felt no pity.
‘Had Schrantz lost, that brat would’ve gloated about his father’s “great achievement” in fulfilling the family’s long-cherished wish.’
Ian knew that future all too well.
There was no reason to sympathize with someone like that.
“And we must restore this village’s original name.”
Gins Village’s true name was Dariel Village—
Named after Dariel von Schrantz, the first Count of Schrantz.
So why was it now called Gins Village?
‘Because the ancestor of the Earl of Erce who conquered it was named Gins.’
After winning the territorial war, the Earl’s ancestor had renamed the village after himself.
Schrantz, defeated, couldn’t protest.
‘Schrantz got utterly tea-bagged.’
Reading about it in the history books, Ian couldn’t help but marvel—So this is how you tea-bag someone in real life.
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