I Became the Narrow-Eyed Villain in a Dropped Novel

Although it was a small amount, the probability had definitely dropped.

Since it had never happened before the topic of the Grand Duchy of Leitche came up, I couldn't know for sure.

However, it was natural to think that the Duke of Leitche had also played a part when Valheit died.

It was an unexpected gain, but it was also unsettling.

What on earth are they doing that the probability dropped just because I opposed them?

“Your Excellency, I ask that you reconsider. This is a decision that will greatly affect the relationship between the Grand Duchy and the Eight Council.”

Regina requested in an earnest tone.

On the other hand, Avantnik was smiling, baring his fangs as if he were sure of his victory.

“I don't mean to block it entirely. Whatever the Grand Duchy does is not a matter for us to interfere in. However, if you want the support of the Eight Council, you must bring a suitable reason.”

“In return for the support during the previous pioneering, isn't a significant portion of the pioneer land's profits going to the Eight Council?”

“We appreciate it, but that does not become a reason to support you this time as well.”

Now that I knew Leitche was connected to my life, there was even less reason to approve.

“I understand. After the meeting is over, I will organize the data and we can discuss it again.”

Realizing that I wouldn't back down, Regina bit her lip.

It was a relief for me as well.

If she had kept insisting, I would have had no choice but to use force.

As my motto is ‘Let's not make enemies if you don't want to die,’ I had no intention of starting a needless fight.

For now, it was enough to just postpone it until I found out the cause.

“Then we will discuss it again later. I trust you will agree as well, Avantnik.”

“Just know that my attitude won't change later either. I cannot tolerate the invasion of Demon territory.”

“We'll find that out when the time comes. Thanks to all of you neatly ignoring my instruction to send proposals, this is the end of the prepared agenda.”

Although the word "end" was said, no one stood up.

The Eight Council meeting begins after the prepared agenda runs out.

I grinned, mulling over what Doruga had told me.

“You all must have brought something to say. Just be careful not to talk over each other.”

“Someone is experimenting with curses in the Empire.”

As soon as my words ended, Kaseph cut in.

“Someone using a curse to fill their own greed is not a matter of interest for the Eight Council. But if it's on a scale that can bring down a city, the story is different.”

As Kaseph stretched out his hand, flames flowed onto the table.

I wondered what he was doing, but I got the gist of it after seeing the shape of the flames.

“Is that Kranacht.”

“When the Count and I visited this city, about half of the citizens were already under the curse. Although the curse was lifted with appropriate measures.”

As Kaseph flicked his finger, flames shot up from the place where the Kranacht government office had been.

“A curse of this scale is bound to leave scars. On people and on the land.”

“Could you explain it a bit more simply and in detail? My head isn't working so well right now because of the alcohol.”

“It means that a curse leaves a hangover, just like the alcohol you drank. The kind your gnoll shamans do is a hangover that would blow away with the wind, but Kranacht was different.”

The flames that represented the city died out, leaving behind soot.

Only in the place where the flames had shot up, embers remained and spread out.

“The government office, which was both the container and the gathering place for the mediums of the curse, and its surroundings have been contaminated. It has also spread to the surrounding area.”

“Was the reason you stayed in Kranacht to take care of that?”

“It has all been purified now. The problem is that this kind of thing can happen in other places as well.”

All the embers died down, leaving only soot marks and a little ash.

“Couldn't you have just explained it with words? This is a pretty expensive table.”

“I'll be careful next time, Count.”

Kaseph, who had answered perfunctorily for anyone to see, looked around the room.

The bloodshot eyes behind the mask flashed.

“We must find and eliminate the ones who cast the curse on Kranacht. Whoever they are.”

A brief silence fell over the table.

Everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing.

In the end, I decided to take the lead.

“It is an important issue, and as it happened in the Empire, I too am taking it seriously. I have already sent people and started an investigation. But is there a reason you brought this story up at the Eight Council meeting?”

Although it had long since become a mere formality, the Eight Council meeting was fundamentally a place to discuss issues that required cooperation among members.

Since it happened in the Empire, it's a problem that could be resolved by talking to me, who is in charge of the Empire.

“The one who instigated it is probably an Imperial citizen. However, there is no law that says those who can wield a curse of this magnitude will only cause problems in the Empire. It is a matter we must deal with together.”

The reaction was lukewarm.

It was understandable since it wasn't an immediate problem.

Whether he read the atmosphere or just had nothing more to say, Kaseph, who was seated, remained silent.

“Any opinions.”

“Is there anything to say separately? We’ll keep a close eye out for similar incidents. That should be it, shouldn’t it.”

Avantnik and Regina also nodded.

In an atmosphere like this, there was always a scene that came up in the original work.

“Til.”

“I know. I'll investigate.”

Til, who had been listening quietly, grumbled.

It was something of a rule in the Eight Council that if it was ambiguous who would take responsibility, Til would end up doing it.

I had already eliminated a few tasks that Til was originally supposed to do, so I should be able to order her without guilt.

“We will take a short break. Refreshments will also be prepared during the break.”

At Doruga's words, they got up one by one and left the meeting room.

I had no intention of leaving, but I needed some sugar.

“Ron.”

I called the butler as usual.

But no answer was heard.

I looked back, but the figure of the large butler was not there.

This was the first time this had happened since I possessed Valheit's body.

Did something happen?

Having no choice, I called Doruga, who was standing there blankly.

“Head of Strategy, please tell the servants to bring refreshments.”

“Can't you just call the butler?”

“Don't you think I'm ordering you because I called him and he didn't come?”

Doruga also tilted his head as if it were strange.

It was indeed strange for Ron, who would appear at a call with creepy timing.

‘Well, it's not like he has to come just because I call. He's in the headquarters, so nothing should be wrong.’

***

Ron cautiously assumed a combat stance.

The person in front of him was definitely an ordinary human, but his behavior and attitude were familiar.

“Who are you?”

“I am Falsh, the captain of the Falsh Guild.”

Falsh.

It was one of the aliases used by Count Valheit.

From the moment he saw the name Falsh Guild, he had thought it couldn't be a coincidence.

His prediction that it was either an impersonation or an external organization created by Count Valheit was completely wrong.

“I have no intention of fighting, so relax your stance. As you can see, I'm an ordinary human.”

Falsh grinned, spreading his arms.

Even his smile resembled his master's.

Moreover, if he were just a human he was seeing for the first time, he wouldn't be able to tell that Ron had assumed a combat stance.

At this point, it could no longer be seen as a coincidence.

“There's a lot to discuss, so let's go somewhere quiet.”

“I understand.”

He is armed with a dagger, but he's just a human.

He is not a threat.

It was logical to hear what he had to say first.

Falsh, who had been walking along the lakeside for a long time, stopped.

“The others are gone, so there's no need to act stiff anymore, Ron.”

“You are not Lord Valheit.”

“That’s right. I’m not. I’m a human with a body that rots away every second. But Ron, you must already feel it.”

Looking at the lowly smiling Falsh, he agreed inwardly.

This human was too much like Valheit.

“No need to be so serious. There are many good things about being in a human body. Though I don't know how it happened!”

“Is that so, Lord Valheit.”

At the cheerful smile, the honorific title slipped out without him realizing.

“What is Count Valheit doing right now?”

“He is attending the Eight Council meeting.”

“A remarkable fellow. Not only has he not been caught until now, but he's also playing the part of a Count quite well.”

“Is the Lord Valheit in the headquarters a fake?”

He blurted out the question he had had since the moment he thought of Falsh as Valheit.

The fact that the real Valheit was here meant that the one in the meeting room was a fake.

“No. He is the real Count Valheit. After all, it is my body.”

“It is hard to understand.”

“This time, I will ask. Ron, in your opinion, does that Count seem to be doing a good job in the Eight Council.”

“Yes. To the point where it's incomparable to the past.”

Ron asserted without a moment's hesitation.

Looking only at his Eight Council activities, the Valheit in the meeting room was much better.

“It’s disappointing to hear you say that. Well, facts are facts. I was distracted by other things. And I didn't really trust these Eight Council people.”

For a fleeting moment, a hint of bitterness flashed across Falsh's face.

Though he was back to his usual sly smile as if nothing had happened.

“It wouldn't be right to keep you longer when you're busy. I have two favors to ask. Continue to regard Count Valheit as your master and assist him as you do now. He's a decent fellow.”

“I understand. What is your next command.”

“Separate from him being a decent fellow if it seems like he will harm Anat, wring his neck.”

Although he said it like a joke, Ron read the sincerity in the light words.

Count Valheit does not speak carelessly.

Ron nodded his head.

“I understand, Mr. Falsh. I will keep that in mind.”

“Then I should give you the goods. These are high-quality tea leaves procured from various countries. I hope the Count likes them.”

Falsh, who had returned to being a good-natured merchant, smiled and went back to the pier.

“Oh, right, after this transaction, I have things to do for a while, so I won't be able to come. Please keep that in mind when you order.”

“Understood. I will send a servant to receive the goods.”

Ron turned and began to head back to the headquarters.

His reputation was in tatters after missing Count Valheit's call twice.

Just before entering, Ron looked at the pier one last time.

After watching the humans noisily unloading the goods for a moment, Ron closed the door.

***

The meeting, which had started again, proceeded without a hitch.

To put it more bluntly, only boring stories were exchanged.

Avantnik whined, spitting, that he needed money to distribute to his tribes, and Cesare complained that the Imperial Army's surveillance had become stricter.

Regina and Kaseph kept their mouths shut and were quietly lost in their own thoughts.

Regina seemed to be contemplating how she could persuade me, and Kaseph well, he was probably thinking about something.

“Now that Chartra has regained its strength, surveillance will be tight for a while. I know it's your lifeline, but I hope you will be moderate. Is there anything else to discuss?”

If Til hadn't raised her hand, I would have just shouted "Good work" and ended it.

I gave Til the floor with as much annoyance as I could muster.

“Speak, Til.”

“I'm curious about what happened to Noah.”

At the name Noah, Cesare's lips curled.

Other than that, no one else reacted.

“Is this the right place to talk about that?”

“I got curious. I heard Cesare was chasing him but lost him because of pirates. Do you know anything?”

Til's gaze was fixed on Avantnik.

Avantnik, who had been twirling his fur and yawning, let out a dry cough at the sudden question.

“Who's that?”

“The Demons who were on the ship with Cesare's goods.”

“Ah, them. Uh, I heard the news.”

Seeing him answer awkwardly, it seemed he knew something.

“Since you've heard something, I'm getting a little curious myself. How did they get caught by your pirates? It would be best to answer truthfully.”

Avantnik, who quickly glanced at me, seemed to have quickly realized that it wasn't a matter to hide.

“No, they sent me a request for help. I didn't know they had stolen this guy's stuff, so I just helped them.”

“For nothing?”

“The flattery was intense. There were other things they said they would give me, but that's a private matter.”

It seems they found the right person to help.

Seeing them manage on their own, there's no need to help them for a while.

“Is that a satisfactory answer, Til.”

“Yup.”

“Let's stop here.”

Now it's time to clean up.

I let out a hollow laugh as I looked at Regina, who was full of complaints.