I Became the illegitimate son of a duke

28 – Assassination Suspicion

“ㅡSo, Baron Bez and the 12 others summon a noble council and respectfully request the Duke….”

…The liver is also big.

Since the rebellion has just ended, I thought it would be quiet for a while.

Looking at the list of aristocrats listed here, there is not a single one I gave a piece of cake to.

Because the lands were mainly distributed to the Burgon family, and the confiscated assets were distributed to those with strong power… It means that the nobles written here are all weak people.

So I was going to ignore it for now and deal with it carefully later, but to think of them fighting together like this…

“Leclerc, when was the last time the House of Lords was held?”

“33 Years ago, I remember the last time His Highness Philip opened it to facilitate the war with Carolingian.

“Haaa…”

But why are you asking me to open it now?

The noble council is a tradition from a long time ago, almost a tribal principality, that has been handed down to this day. Was it called a tribal chiefs’ meeting before?

At the Noble Assembly, all nobles present, including the duke, cast one vote, and laws can be enacted or repealed by a majority vote.

That means that for the Duke of Burgon, who can enact or repeal statutes at will, an aristocratic assembly is no good.

Of course, if I really do what I want, the nobles will immediately rise up, so we have to enact or abolish the law while paying attention to the nobles’ position, but unlike the noble council, the duke’s authority does not have any authority over the nobles.

“There are 13 people, so the conditions are met…”

The Noble Council can ask the duke to open the meeting when more than 13 nobles from different families gather. Of course, only when there is a serious threat in the country’s path.

And what they designated as a major threat is the diplomatic issue with the Holy Empire.

Of course, diplomacy with the Holy Empire is in full swing, just because Ines is my fiancee.

However, since the details are behind-the-scenes negotiations, the nobles do not have any information, so they may see me as not doing anything with the Holy Empire. Or do you just want to see it that way?

“I’ll just say no, what nonsense are you talking about?”

If [The Holy Empire asks the Holy Empire to permanently relinquish its claim to the territories conquered by her grandfather], It will be catastrophic if such an agenda is passed. There is no way the other side will listen, and even if you declare war that you have been insulted, you can’t say anything.

It’s unimaginable in modern times that something like this could be a justification for starting a war, but it’s not modern times here. Whew.

“I feel the same way.”

Leclerc heard my answer and nodded as if he knew that.

Originally, refusing the request to open the aristocratic assembly would be a heavy political burden, but Leclerc knows how much money, land, and titles I have distributed to the nobles, so he knows that no big deal will happen if he refuses.

“And check all the relatives here.”

“Yes, I understand.”

My words implied the meaning of dealing with them, but everyone here nodded and affirmed my words as if it were natural.

Ines, who is sitting on the sofa over there looking at me, and Chloe, who is standing next to me.

Well… It’s not a rebellion, it’s not embezzlement, it’s just a little bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of So let’s just press it. Of course, I don’t know if there is a crime when I investigate.

…………

“…No, what are you talking about?”

A week after the order was given to investigate the nobles who requested the meeting, five of the nobles on the list were said to be dead, three seriously injured, and one missing.

Currently, the four nobles who are alive and well are raising their voices, claiming that all of this was a conspiracy by the Duke of Burgon, and are appealing to other nobles for support.

“Causes of death are… Stumbling by foot, food poisoning, poisoning, being run over by a wagon, being attacked by a mentally ill person holding a knife, being hit by a flower pot falling from a window, having a heart attack…”

…Too flashy? Most of them are even used as assassination methods.

If this had happened in just one week, with only those nobles pinned down… Well, you might suspect me…

Ah, but it’s really unfair. I just ordered an investigation, I didn’t say kill.

No, and, aside from anything else, what the hell is the point of accusing me of conspiracy to have a heart attack?

“Your Highness, it is true that the other nobles are agitated.”

“Haaa…”

It’s Ines’ birthday soon, so there are a lot of things to take care of. Why did this happen?

“Would they believe me if I claimed I was innocent?”

“…Difficult.”

“Yes, I think so too.”

Leclerc, the head butler, knows everything that happens in Dijon Castle, so he must know very well that I am innocent.

If that’s enough for him to assert this far… Write, it’s really a big deal, but this.

“First of all, I have to express my condolences to those who died and claim that I have nothing to do with this. The grounds are so…”

How should I make excuses?

I didn’t kill them? Didn’t I do this? There is no reason for me to kill you for merely asking for the opening of Parliament? Or

“—-If it were Master, I wouldn’t have killed them in such a petty way.”

“Chloe?”

I hear Chloe’s cool voice from behind.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Ah, ah… That’s… So… That’s right, Master decided to use only the guillotine to execute the executioner, didn’t he?”

“Yes, but…”

After the mass execution by guillotine, I declared to everyone that future executions would only use this guillotine.

But…

“Chloe, this is an assassination and that is an execution. Will the nobles believe it?”

“Hmm… But it’s possible.”

“Yeah, what?”

Leclerc sighs and joins Chloe’s opinion.

No, what’s wrong with you?

“Most nobles must have seen or heard about the mass execution that took place in the square.”

“But?”

“If you mention that and Your Highness insists [I don’t kill by assassination], It will be persuasive.”

“…”

…Why is everyone like this? Did you eat something wrong?

“First of all, Your Highness went to the front during the war with Carolingian, so the nobles would think that you have a hot-tempered personality that values honor. And people with that personality usually don’t like intrigue. .”

“…So, I’m the type of person who kills violently all at once. It’s not honorable to assassinate one by one like that, and I don’t like it because it hurts me. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to insist on?”

“That’s right.”

“Will it be just like that?”

Does it make sense that the aristocrats are convinced with just such a thing?

It seems like you’ll get even more angry if you stop talking nonsense or the duke makes low-quality threats–

“Your Highness has a lot of knowledge and wisdom, but you have a little dark side to the nobles’ way of thinking.”

“Huh?”

As I tilt my head, Leclerc opens his mouth with a determined expression.

“Nobles value honor and conviction more than life, and prefer to go out and fight rather than formulate petty tactics. They also prefer bold answers to lame excuses, and if they remain loyal, their subordinates will It doesn’t matter what you do. Recently, nobles have become more obscene in the presence of power, or have a stronger tendency to talk unnecessarily… But that’s the nature of nobles.”

Leclerc, who had a serious face at first, smiled and said that at the end.

…Is that so?

Most of the aristocrats in my memory, that is to say I saw them in books or movies on Earth, are post-modern nobles whose etiquette was extremely developed. The era of absolute monarchy in France or the nobility of modern Europe.

However, compared to the earth, the world I am currently in can be seen as a more medieval era than post-modern times. It’s because the tradition of the tribal principality has been transformed and maintained.

Hmm… What do you think of when you think of medieval European nobility… Chivalry, duels, crusades?

…It’s all about fighting over issues of honor, conviction, or faith.

“…Yes, I’ll take your word for it.”

If not only Chloe but also Leclerc thinks that way, then this is the right way for people of this era.

Even if things go wrong, I think we can fix it enough… Let’s try it.

…………

“Your Highness made a statement about the deaths of nobles?”

“Yes, sir.”

An attendant calls and hands me a letter with the duke’s seal on it.

Kuh, I know everything anyway, but I don’t mind doing this-

“—- Huh?”

I tore up the letterhead and looked at the contents, but the contents were completely different from what I expected.

[Their deaths have nothing to do with me. I have no reason or value to kill them. Even if I really wanted to kill them, I would have put their heads on the guillotine after arresting them. I don’t like the petty, trivial method of assassination.

Of course, for the death of my vassals, as their lord, I express my condolences, but I, Claude de Burgon, as Lord of Burgon, denounce those who falsely accuse me of assassination and discredit me. ]

“…hahahaha.”

…That makes sense. It’s creepy too.

In the first place, what does His Highness the Duke mean by distributing money, territory, and titles only to Burgons and those with strong power? The little ones barking means you don’t have to pay attention.

And the dead are among those little things. Literally no reason to kill, no value.

In addition, the duke is hot-tempered, honorable enough to go to the battlefield against Carolingian at a young age, and likes to slaughter people like cattle with that cruel machine. For such a Highness, assassination would of course be irresistible.

Above all, there is no need to assassinate as written in the letter. Since the rebellion has just begun, it is better to tie it up with the rebellion, fabricate the names of the crimes, and then arrest and execute them.

The nobles who have received your Highness’s sincerity will not bother that the little ones have been arrested, and that cruel machine can give everyone a warning of fear. Rather than assassination, this is a much better choice without sacrificing reputation.

“…I have received a personal letter from the lord, so I should send a reply.”

If the duke really did the assassination, he would have done it as a warning to the other nobles that he would kill them if they acted nonsense. Well, whether or not I did an assassination, what I have to do doesn’t change.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who received this letter, and the nobles who received the lord’s personal letter, including myself, have only one choice.

All I can do is apologize for tarnishing my lord’s reputation with the assassination suspicion and ignore the words of those who raise suspicion.