The Count Family's Young Master
Chapter 38 - Walking in the Air (3)

A simple settlement. With a single-story building. Surrounded by open area. Brown flat ground with pebble stones.

It was an area on the southeastern side of Bardev's territory. Although it looks as a poor area but actually the area is livestock territory. Everyone in the Bardev region obtained foodstuffs from the southeastern region.

As a ranching territory, Berg was not a region deserving of bandit attacks. And the Bardev region under Count Bardev's rule had been a safe and peaceful region for three generations.

The bandit attack on Berg was a novelty and was a questionable matter.

What they're looking for. Why should Berg.

But what Valias wants to find out are not those two things.

Bandit attacks have happened before.

It happened on the day of his departure and the Valias family went to the palace on the birthday of the crown prince Frey.

The alleged Valias, the reason why Bardev's name was never mentioned in the web book he was reading was

Because Bardev's family died on the day of the attack.

In the original story, Valias Bardev did not come with his family to the palace.

Valias' participation yesterday had a different impact. Which even though Valias doesn't know what.

Valias did nothing to change the fate of Valias Bardev's family. "What are you really trying to figure out, young master."

Alister's voice sounded suddenly near Valias who was busy with his thoughts.

Valias turned his head towards Alister who was looking at him with a flat face.

"Is this the location of the recent attack?"

"Yes, young master. May I know why you want to come to this place?"

Alister had a smile on his face but Alister's eyes looked at Valias piercingly.

This kid's been showing a weird attitude lately. What exactly does he know?

"I want to see what kind of place Berg is."

"Berg is a source of animal food in the Bardev region. Our groceries are obtained from this city." Alister looked at Valias who was looking around. "Because of the bandit attack last time people moved to the city we previously passed. Berg is currently empty. Some of Bardev's knights were guarding Berg's border gate. But,"

Alister's eyes narrowed to resemble a crescent moon. "I think those bandits didn't enter through the city entrance but instead used some switching magic."

"Why do you think that?"

"Berg is not a region surrounded by empty territory. Outside Berg's entrance was another city of territorial power. Those bandits couldn't have come from there. Our city of Berg is not surrounded by poor cities. The presence of those bandits is a mystery, young master."

Valias talk. "Say. Are you a weapon user?"

Alister raised his eyebrows at Valias' question.

Then grinned.

"Did the young master realize it?"

Valias in his place sighed.

Alister is the strangest person Valias has met since he moved into that world.

He seemed to have no fear and had gestures that caught Valias' attention.

Every move from Alister mostly had no voice.

His move. When he closed the door. When he woke Valias in the morning.

Valias is not a person who sleeps well. He easily woke up when someone approached him or just opened the door of his room.

But every appearance of Alister does not give attention to the existence of Valias.

Given that he was in a novel, a fantasy novel, moreover, Alister's strangeness could only be attributed to one thing.

A real servant is a murderer.

And killer characters like Alister always manage to overcome even a large group of bandits.

What makes my presence different from the one in the novel?

In the original story Valias Bardev did not join his family to the palace.

With Valias Bardev missing, his personal servant, Alister, was not on the way.

Is there anything else that Valias hasn't realized?

Valias doesn't feel there.

Alister took out all the bandits who were supposed to attack the Bardevs. By ourselves.

Valias turned his body. Seeing Alister who still had his fake amiable smile.

Alister opened his mouth.

"Will the young master tell the great master of the maid's true identity?"

Valias looked at Alister expressionlessly before turning his eyes away.

"I have no intention of doing that."

"May I know why?"

"Maybe I should have asked."

Valias turned to Alister. "Why did you choose to be a servant of the Bardev family?" tanyakanya. "Is there anything you want?"

Alister raised his eyebrows. Then pull the corner of his lips.

"Young master need not worry. This servant was just as simple as wanting to work under the rule of the Bardev family. There's no other reason."

Valias looked at the smiling Alister towards him.

Not that I'm worried anyway.

If Alister had planned something he would have done it. And instead of waiting for 4 years, and even let himself be the personal servant of Valias Bardev.

Valias was just a little wondering.

When Valias Bardev's family died, what did Valias Bardev do?

What happened after that?

Maybe Valias Bardev continued the reign of Count Bardev just did not set foot in the political world of Hayden so his name never. In contrast to the names Adelard, Nardeen, Baldwin, Vasant, then Milderb, and some other names that Valias remembers are mentioned several times in the site's reading.

While Valias was busy with his own thoughts, Alister watched him in silence.

What's he planning?

Alister wants to know.

Valias Bardev is the son of a very mysterious nobleman and invites curiosity Alister. Starting from the fact that he is not Count Ruri's biological son, his hair is red and Alister has never seen before, his confinement in his room was to write dozens and possibly hundreds of papers in a language that Alister believed was not a language that existed in Reiss or any other continent, and just get out of the room to eat in the garden made by his father, then to the reading room to read a book.

The thing that attracted Alister the most was when his young master was bleeding heavily from his nose but still refused to receive treatment from the healer.

Then, the change was one month ago.

Valias Bardev suddenly received food provided by him and his family, he talked with his family, he stopped writing, and he stopped visiting the park to eat fruits from there.

He came out of his house, accepted the palace's invitation, and performed an act Alister never expected.

Since then Valias Bardev has been out of his home.

And now, his young master was at the scene of a bandit attack. What does he want to see?

Alister wants to know.

He, like, turned into someone else.

Although his physical appearance had not changed but everything about him had already changed.

His eyes are no longer the same. His movements also changed 180 degrees.

Is his soul replaced with another's?

Maybe magic. But Alister had never heard of such magic.

If there is, then such magic is definitely included in some kind of forbidden magic in the continent of Reiss. Which should not be known by anyone.

Alister's eyes narrowed.

Did master Valias know of the magic?

But then Alister felt that his mind was running too wild. That can't be happening. The sensible thing was that his young master decided to change, just like he said.

But what I care for.

In fact Alister prefers Valias now. The young man made Alister feel many comforting things.

What's he gonna do next?

It made Alister's curiosity stirred and his adrenaline running quickly made him feel back to his youth.

Where he becomes a hitman on behalf of the Murim family who come from the neighboring kingdom of Hayden.

Alister grinning.

"If there's anything the young master wants to do then this Alister is ready to do everything you ask him to do, young master."

Alister smiled in satisfaction as he looked at Valias who was turning towards him with a flat expression. Alister removed his cross on his back and moved his hand pulling a knife from behind his sleeve.

"This servant is good at doing anything. The young master just needs to ask."

Valias looked at the excited looking Alister with a shiny dagger in his hand.

Valias smiled slightly.

If Alister had shown himself in the first place, Frey wouldn't have had much trouble.

It could be that Hayden was actually filled with quite a number of reliable individuals but they did not show themselves.

Valias wants to make sure of one thing. "On the day of our departure to the palace, was there a bandit group that attacked?"

"This Alister took care of them even before they approached ten meters away from the young master's carriage and his family."

Alister smiled widely until his eyes narrowed after saying so.

Then when Danial said there was a bandit attack, it might not be a real bandit attack, but the discovery of a large bandit body.

Valias felt himself wanting to smile wryly.

It could be that Hadden told Danial that it was a bandit attack because Danial was too young. Telling a child of Danial age about the discovery of a large number of corpses, and only being discovered three weeks after their death is definitely not a wise thing.

Imagining the sight the person reporting found made Valias a little nauseous. He smiled wryly.

He then rolled his eyes at Alister who was still smiling. Seemed impatient with the request that Valias would convey to him.

The demand will certainly be related to the fishy smell of blood.

"I want you to work for His Majesty Frey."

Alister no longer squinted and looked at Valias flatly.

"Your Majesty Frey?"

Alister pulled his eyebrows. Interested in Valias' words.

Rebuild like what?

Alister decided not to be too curious.

But I think I'll know the answer soon.

"I understand. Mr. Valias just needs to give the instructions. This Alister's gonna do his job." Alister said with a smile on his face.

Valias nodded in satisfaction. Even though Valias doesn't read much, he knows characters like Alister are always serious about what they say.

If Alister says that, then whatever Valias tells him Alister will do.

Valias breathed out without a sound. His arrival to Berg earned him some conjectures that led him to new information.

He looked around in silence. All buildings are empty. There were several former attacks. Some buildings no longer have doors because of the destroyed doors. Scars of break-ins and sharp incisions of weapons.

Valias also found traces of blood from where he stood.

He did not see any livestock but Alister told him that the place where he was now was the Berg residential area which was the site of the attack. The livestock cages are in another location.

Alister's conjecture about bandits entering with magic switching could be true.

"Did the attack happen at night?"

"I hear so, young master."

The night will make there will be no witnesses who can give a statement whether the bandits appear suddenly through the magic circle or not.

Valias felt himself having to give up and return to the mansion. But before that, though,

"I saw some strange flowers where we came from."

"That bluish-colored plant, young master?"

Valias raises his eyebrows. "You know what?"

"I realized the young master who hooked his eyes on the same thing during his journey with young miss Dina and young master Danial." Alister smiling. Her dagger was hidden behind her sleeves. "That plant is not a plant that should exist in our Bardev region." Alister is speaking slowly. "Someone planted them there."

For reasons we don't know.

But for sure it's not a good thing.

All the fights will take place in the next nine months.

Valias has nine months to prevent Hayden's destruction.

There is no time to waste.

Valias has to move fast.

That's if he wants everyone to survive.

"We can go back now."

Alister lowered his head. "I understand."

...***...

"...Flowers?"

Valias nodded. "Yes, your honor."

Frey who was sitting on his stool looked at Valias who was sitting on the sofa of his study room with a teacup in his hand.

"We have to check the flowers. What if they are dangerous flowers?"

"I plan on doing that." Valias put his cup on the table.

"How are you gonna do it?"

"I'm gonna need two mages."

"Mage?"

"Yes." Yeah." Valias.

They will prepare a protective spell if something happens at the time of the investigation.

"All right then. I'll ask my waiter to call two mages. But before that,"

Frey looked at Valias with an astonished face.

"Don't you want to rest? You just got back from the Solossa border. And also,"

The clumsiness on Frey's face. "It's not usually you take your waiter with you."

Frey looked at Alister who was pouring tea into Valias' cup when the young man was about to pour his own tea. Alister realizes her so-called self and gives her smile to Frey. Frey who was too confused by the situation in front of him was not able to install his charisma as usual.

"I think I'll take Alister with me more and more." Valias said as he blew the hot steam from the tea in his cup.

"Why?" Frey frowned.

"I'll ask Alister to work for you."

Valias' words made Frey widen his eyes.

Work me? Wh why?

Frey does not understand what Valias means by asking Alister to work for him. But he then remembered Valias' condition.

"No. I-i refused. You need your servant by your side. I won't let you go without anyone's supervision." Frey racked his brain looking for words. "If you want Alister to work for me then I'll send a healer to be your personal servant."

A healer?

Alister raised his eyebrows.

While Valias also raised his two eyebrows confused. Frey misunderstood something.

"That's not necessary, your honor."

"No. That's a must. There must be someone watching you. Who would have thought that you fainted all of a sudden when no one was looking? Looky. Because I didn't give you a ban so instead of resting at your house and just exhausting your brain and going here. Alisters. Notify me. Where were you guys from before?"

"Young master Valias asked me to escort him to the location of the attack of the bandits in the Bardev region."

"Bandit attack?? That happen? Anytime, no. Why did you go there? Who are you going there with?"

"Alister-"

"Only Alister? Are you tired of living? Don't you know what a bandit is? They are dangerous and armed. You shouldn't have gone there. And when you leave you should have brought at least fifteen knights with you. But you just went alone with your servant? You want to get yourself and your servant killed?"

Alister who heard Frey's words raised his eyebrows consoled. While Valias feels clumsy because he does not expect Frey will nag him. "I just want to look around,"

"You think it's better? In the end you're the same as coming to the scene of a bandit attack. What would you do if they were still there and attacked you and Alister while you were there? For Gods. Do I need to appoint a knight to be your personal bodyguard??"

"I don't think that's necessary, your honor."

Alister's voice caught Frey's attention. While Valias who also heard Alister's words only sipped his tea while frowning knowing what Alister would say next.

"I can protect young master Valias and myself. Your Majesty need not worry." Alister enjoys Frey's playful expression and the discomfort of his young master. "Young master Valias asked me to work for his highness Frey. But if I could,"

Alister rolled his eyes at Valias who was silently holding the cup to his mouth. "I want to keep working at the Bardev residence and be the servant of the young master Valias Bardev." He put up his fake friendly grin. "I must watch over my young master."

Valias frowned distractedly. While Frey still has a gawking face before frowning confused.

"You're gonna work for me on what?"

A dagger came out from behind Alister's clothes and was grasped by the owner.

"My real identity is a hit man. In this time of my master I will only follow everything that young master Valias commanded." Alister smiled smugly glancing at Valias who still had not changed his pose.

Frey blinked his eyes flabbergasted. It was truly unexpected that the personal servant of Valias Bardev was an expert-looking assassin and had already carried out his first profession for many years in his lifetime before he became Bardev's servant. He was made to wonder if the family of Count Bardev chose assassins as their personal servants. It made the tip of Frey's lips twitch in disbelief.

He did not expect that Hadden Bardev, who did not speak much in politics, would use assassins as personal servants for his family members.

How far is his ability? What about Count Bardev's other servants?

"What do you want your servant to do?"

Frey's question made Valias put down the cup. "What can you do?"

"As the owner of this servant assassin profession is good at gathering information and silencing those whom the young master asks." Alister replied with a smile while hiding his dagger again. While Frey heard Alister's statement and began to feel excited because he knew there would be people he could command other than Uvan.

Valias nodded. Planned something inside his head before turning to Frey.

"Your highness. Has there been any word from Kei's friends?"

Valias' question surprised Frey from his excitement. "Kei's friends? No."

Valias thinks sooner or later they'll give you news.

Valias also remembered Pralta.

If they refuse to provide help then Valias must find another way. "Kei's friends will contact you sooner or later." Valias believes they will hold their sayings.

"The investigation of the flowers in the Bardev region will be carried out tomorrow-"

"Yes, yeah. I'll take care of it. You go home and rest." Frey breathed a tired sigh. "You look pale."

Valias. Didn't expect that at all. He actually feels fine.

Frey calls a mage into his room and forces Valias to go home. Valias was moved to his room. Without Valias knowing Mareen made a magic circle move on the floor of his room.

Valias who thought he would arrive in front of the mansion gate as usual was slightly flabbergasted by the sight he saw. The scattering of papers made him realize that he was in Valias' room.

He was still a little stunned by the sudden happenings. Frey doesn't even let Valias talk and before Valias realizes a spell is being voiced and he's no longer in Frey's room.

"It's good that the young master eats first. Your Excellency Frey said it was true. You look pale." Alister smiled beside him. The words made Valias put his hand on his face. I really can't believe that two people have said the same thing about him. In reality Valias was feeling fine. Didn't Valias Bardev have pale skin?

Valias looked at Alister who lowered his head and walked out of the room. Leaving Valias who was still wondering.

Curious she brought herself to the mirror.

He saw his face that was much paler than usual. Makes him frown not understanding.

"Let's go."

Valias chose to ignore the pallor of his face. He chose to approach the journal in Valias' room and read it. There are some journals that he has not read.

He was standing leaning against the wall while reading the journal book in his hand when he heard a knocking sound. He walked up to the door and saw Dina standing before the door as soon as he opened it.

"Dina?"

"A-I saw my sister's waiter was back and went to the kitchen. So I think brother's back and he's in the room." Dina played both fingers nervously.

Dina was raising her head to look at Valias' face when something made her eyes widen.

Tests.

"Hm?"

Something dripped from above his lips.

More precisely from his nostrils. He made a cupped hand gesture and a red liquid grain dripped on his palm.

26/04/2022