"Calm down, Count."
The woman who had been keeping quiet from the corner of the room suddenly spoke up.
"It's good that you're lecturing your brother, but don't go too far out of your way. A reprimand is only effective if it is reasonable."
Elisha Rosmond Balbastre. She was a knight of the Imperial Guards who accompanied Linus from the capital due to an arrangement by Lavallee.
Linus was horrified to realise that he had almost lost his mind in front of a third party.
“I-I...”
What was he doing?
He was bloodthirsty, hitting things, and shouting at the top of his voice. How could he let such a maniacal behavior be exposed so brazenly?
With a small sigh, Elisha turned to Tullius.
"Apparently, the Count is not feeling well today. How about discussing political matters on another day?"
She had no authority to decide on such things. This was a matter for the Oubeniel family, who had inherited the land of Volden from generations ago. So Linus didn’t want her to butt in.
But right now, he hated being face to face with Tullius even more. It was always unpleasant to see his foolish brother, but this summer was especially bad.
He had no choice but to recline on the chair lightly, as if to affirm it. In fact, he was feeling so tired that he could hardly straighten himself.
"......As Lord Balbastre has said. I can't be bothered to talk with you any more. Tullius, you will stand down — no, you shall return to Marlan."
Linus was at his breaking point and decided to give the order. He couldn’t bear living under the same roof as this person anymore.
"Oh, is that okay?"
Linus almost clicked his tongue when Tullius asked him for confirmation.
"I said yes… return and devote yourself to your duties. If I need you, I will call you over. Do you understand?"
"If you say so, brother. Then, tomorrow—"
"By the end of the day!"
"—I understand, by the end of the day, right?"
Linus yelled again but this time, even Tullius seemed to be somewhat shocked. It was somewhat therapeutic for his stomach, but he realised that he had acted disgraceful again. Altogether, it was negative to his mood.
"Now, if you'll excuse me."
Linus silently watched him leave the room. It was unpleasant to see the suspicious looks of the guards outside the room.
As the door closed, Elisha approached the slightly dazed Linus.
"Are you sure, Count? That your brother is now leaving."
"......Don't tell me that now."
Of course, it was no good. The order from Lavallee was to use the management of the territory as a means of stalling Tullius. It was a poor move to allow Tullius, who he had at his beck and call, to return. Even if Tullius had given himself up from the beginning.
But Linus was already at the end of his patience.
Since the night of that unpleasant dinner, Tullius has been coming to his room every day.
It was not the first time they’ve talked about political matters, such as discussing the tax rate for the year, or seeking advice about a dispute between villages across the border, or proposing a new policy, as they did today. When Linus showed signs of irritation, he would say something like,
"Brother, if you're feeling overwhelmed, why don't you take a horse and go on a long ride? I'll accompany you! If you want, we can take our bows and go hunting. Wouldn't it be nice if we brothers could be alone together for once?"
He was so thick-skinned to even suggest it.
Since it was Tullius' fault that he was annoyed, Linus would rather Tullius kill himself.
Negative thoughts clouded him. As a means of motivating himself, Linus turned to Elisha and said.
"It doesn't matter...... As long as I'm in Volden, I'll have no shortage of excuses to call that guy from Marlan."
He pointed to the pile of papers and letters on his desk.
The tax collection plan for fall, the petitions from the villages in the territory, and the proposals for policies...... all serve as a justification for Linus' to arbitrarily summon his brother. He could say that the documents submitted were incomplete, or that he wanted to hear more details of certain parts of his policies, or numerous other things. It won't make much of a difference if he sent him back to his estate while he took his time to regain his composure.
But this rude knight dared to share her blatant suspicions against him.
"Well, I'm sure you'll have plenty of excuses...... Do you have any intention of calling for him in the future?"
"......"
She hit him where it hurt the most.
He was going to call him back once he calmed down and was mentally ready. He insisted that he would be mentally ready soon, but when would that be? Linus himself did not know.
If it was for the purpose of killing the devil in one fell swoop, he could have forced himself. But this time, he couldn't see what Lavallee was planning to do behind the scenes. Before his departure, Lavallee only hinted at a plan to halt him, saying in a roundabout way that he would need to conduct various meetings and discussions with Tullius. In short, if Linus was willing — or more likely, if he was not willing — it was not impossible for him to leave Tullius to his own devices.
If he didn't mind being further isolated from his faction after failing, that is.
"......I don't need you to tell me what to do. This is my family's business."
Linus realised himself that it was an excuse.
Countermeasures against the third faction, which stood between the centralists and the decentralists. This was obviously not just a problem within the Oubeniel family. That was why Linus was sent here at the behest of the leader of the centralist faction.
However, the woman who was supposed to be pointing out the problem only let out a light sigh.
"Well, good. If that's what the Count says, then I’ll leave it at that."
※ ※ ※
Elisha walked out of the room, leaving Linus, who wanted to be alone.
In the corridor, Alfred Prudemache, the second deputy commander of the Second Order, was waiting for her with a bored expression.
"Commander, how is the Count?"
"Terrible."
Her reply was straightforward. Rhetoric was beyond her capabilities. So, every time there were things that required formalities, the deputy commander would be put on the spot.
To her bitterly smiling subordinate, Elisha continued.
"His brother has been giving him a hard time since forever. Just talking to him makes the Count endlessly nervous."
"Haha. Sounds like the kind of syndrome new recruits get into?"
"I bet."
What Alfred was referring to was the actions towards Simone that took place in the bedroom after the dinner. The man in question thought nobody found out — at least Elisha didn't know, and even Linus himself had already forgotten about it — but it had already spread wide and far in the Second Order. Their secret meeting here was also to prevent Tullius from taking actions against Linus and Simone, so guards were placed outside their sleeping quarters as well.
"A man whose reason had been worn down engaged in extreme acts on a woman to calm his nerves. It's common to the inexperienced on the battlefield. It is a pity that the Count, despite having no experience in battles, is in such a situation."
Elisha’s subordinates felt somewhat awkward at hearing this from an unmarried lady. It was not a bad thing for women to be understanding towards a man’s mental state, but being too frank might not be so pleasant either.
"If I had to feel sorry for anybody, it would be the countess who was forced to go along with this kind of indignation without knowing why."
"I sympathise with her. But it’s not a responsibility we should bear."
Elisha said and walked away on her own. She was going to console the countess now. After all, the man that the countess had been relying on for mental support was going to be kicked out.
Madame Simone Meslier-Oubeniel. She was a pathetic woman who was forced to enter into a marriage with the Count just for the sake of a ploy. Elisha couldn’t help but feel sorry for her, but on the other hand, Simone must have been partly responsible for the Count's mental breakdown.
The woman blamed Linus for forcing her into an insincere marriage, but no matter the degree, marriages filled with pretense and greed were commonplace in aristocratic society. If she hated it so much that she actively denounced and rejected her husband, there was no way a family could be built together. On top of that, Simone had lost her family home in the fire last year. Linus' attitude might have been different if she had been a little more gentle and showed some cuteness.
