Chapter 19 - Taking Control (1)

After finishing his meal, Yohan headed straight for Raguel's room.

'He must be hungry.'

Raguel was all alone, going hungry. On the Baron's orders, he was barred from official gatherings. Naturally, that included the banquet. Feeling sorry for him, Yohan had decided to bring him something to eat.

With a basket of food in hand, Yohan turned the doorknob. The door opened to reveal Raguel sitting hunched on his bed, staring straight ahead.

"Who's there?"

"It's me."

Puzzlement and anticipation flickered across the boy's face.

"By 'me,' do you mean..."

"Your big brother."

Raguel's mouth fell wide open.

"Yohan!"

"My voice must sound quite different."

The change in his voice between his Demon and human forms was as stark as the change in his appearance.

"You sound like a completely different person."

The distinctive chill in his voice was entirely gone. Now he sounded calm, with a slightly boyish note.

"I am a different being, in fact. Right now, I'm an ordinary human. Which means you need to treat me differently, too."

"Treat you differently?"

"Yes. Let's start with what you call me. During the day, call me big brother."

If he used the name Yohan both day and night, someone might make the connection. Understanding the situation, Raguel scratched his head.

"In that case, wouldn't it be better to have separate names for your Demon and human forms?"

"You're right, but I can't think of a name at the moment. Do as I say for now."

"All right."

"Now, what did I tell you to call me?"

Looking awkward, Raguel said, "... Big brother?"

"Don't like it? I can play the little brother instead. It makes no difference to me."

Raguel hastily waved his hands.

"It's not that I dislike it. I'm just not used to it. Besides, I think you'd make a better big brother than me, Yohan..."

Yohan chuckled. "Whatever makes you comfortable."

"I'll call you b-big brother. During the day."

Yohan nodded and set the basket on the table.

"My first act as your big brother. Eat."

"What is it?"

"I brought you a meal. You must be starving."

Raguel beamed as Yohan handed him some bread.

"Thank you, Yohan. I mean, big brother."

It was a small kindness, but enough to make the boy smile. Just as he happily bit into his bread, a familiar voice reached them.

"How thoughtful of you. Not very Demon-like."

Ilea was entering the room.

"I brought food for you, too."

She had also missed the banquet, having been occupied with Yohan's request. Her eyes crinkled playfully.

"Surely you don't think a meal makes us even?"

"I'll do you a favor next time. Now, where is it?"

Ilea took a notebook from inside her clothes.

"I searched the treasurer's room from top to bottom. He'd hidden it at the very back of his chest of drawers."

What she had stolen was a tax ledger.

"So you have a talent for theft, too. Well done."

"Was that a compliment?"

"Depends how you take it."

"I'll put it back, then."

"I was joking. Let me see."

Feigning a sulk, Ilea handed him the ledger. Yohan began reading its contents.

It contained detailed records of the taxes collected from the five villages in the Miyatro domain. Total revenues included grain, livestock, silver coins, and woolen cloth. This year's takings alone were enough to fill the castle's storehouse.

"They squeezed plenty out of them for a bad harvest year."

A terrible famine had struck the south the previous year, reducing grain yields to a quarter of their former level, yet taxes hadn't fallen at all. Instead, even more wealth had been demanded than the year before.

"They bled the poor dry."

"The storehouse must be bursting at the seams."

"You'll have to expand it."

Listening to their exchange, Raguel ventured hesitantly, "W-wouldn't it be better to lower the taxes a little instead?"

Yohan chuckled. "Whether I expand the storehouse or lower taxes, I need to see the situation for myself first. The books don't always match what's actually there."

Ilea nodded. "We might find it completely empty."

"That would make things interesting."

"Shall we take a look now?"

"Finish eating first."

"All right."

Looking bewildered, Raguel turned toward each of their voices in turn. Ilea smiled.

"You should come down with us for some fresh air, younger master. It must be stifling, staying in your room all the time."

She looked at Yohan. "You don't mind, do you, elder master?"

"Makes no difference to me."

* * *

"That fucking bastard brat."

The Baron's knight slammed his fist into an empty shelf. The old board splintered, sending up clouds of accumulated dust.

Covered in dust, the treasurer brushed off his bald head.

"I knew this would happen someday! We've siphoned off so much that there's no covering it up now! If that bastard compares the ledger to what's actually here, we're finished!"

The storehouse, which should have been packed with wealth, was as shabby as a shed in the slums. With nothing but cheap furs, heaps of hay, and rotten spices lying about, its interior was utterly desolate.

The knight bellowed, "Then rewrite the ledger! A full storehouse would be more suspicious in a famine like this!"

"Do you think that's easy? He wants the grain transaction records and tax ledgers by tonight! There isn't enough time to falsify everything!"

"Now listen, Treasurer! What could a brat of ten or so possibly understand from a ledger? All you need to do is make it look convincing!"

Doubt crossed the treasurer's face.

"That was no ordinary brat! Didn't he back you into a corner and twist us all around his finger? That little body has a wily old snake inside it! He's bound to notice something's wrong!"

The knight flared up and drew his sword.

"Back me into a corner?! Who would dare!"

The treasurer recoiled in terror. "W-what are you doing? Calm down."

"Listen carefully." The knight's voice dropped low.

"He's nothing but a lowborn wretch raised among beggars. He won't even know how to read, let alone understand a ledger. And I never gave ground to him. I merely held my tongue out of respect for the Baron's dignity. Do you understand?"

The treasurer gulped. "I-I understand, so please put away your sword."

The knight spat on the floor and sheathed his sword.

"Enough nonsense. Get to work. We need the ledger written before sunset."

The treasurer wiped away his cold sweat. The knight's badgering left him no choice but to rewrite the ledger, but there were far too many things to worry about. He took out paper and a pen.

"... The ink won't even be dry. Don't blame me if this goes wrong."

"We have Lord Kril. In the unlikely event that things go awry, we can seek refuge with him. And once he becomes Baron, we'll be rewarded for all our present troubles."

With a sigh, the treasurer dipped his pen in ink. Just as he was about to write the first line, an old creaking sound came from ahead of him. The storehouse door had opened.

The knight shouted, "Who's there!"

Familiar faces entered with the light of the setting sun.

"Why so startled? Who else would come here?" It was Yohan's voice.

Raguel, who had come with him, timidly greeted the knight. "S-Sir Reil, it's been a while."

The knight paid Raguel no heed. He simply glared at Yohan.

"... What brings you here?"

"I thought I'd stop by while I was out. I had a few things to check, too. But it's empty."

At the same time, a jarring noise rang out. Ilea had locked the storehouse door. She approached Yohan.

"Just as we expected."

"Let's hear their excuses first."

Yohan looked at the knight. "The storehouse is bare. What happened?"

The knight replied calmly, "The south has suffered years of drought. With everyone starving to death, why should nobles be any different?"

"A lame excuse. Not very inventive."

"What?"

Yohan tossed the ledger Ilea had stolen onto the floor. The treasurer's eyes widened.

"How did that get here!"

Ilea gave him a gentle smile. "Isn't a chest of drawers a little too obvious, Treasurer?"

"D-don't tell me you..."

"I'm afraid so."

The knight seemed flustered, too. "Ilea, why are you helping the bastard?"

She tilted her head. "What a strange question. The elder young master is the heir to the baronial house. We should all be supporting him."

"I thought you were clever!"

"I didn't mean to disappoint you."

Yohan chuckled. "You two seem to have been quite close."

"Just a way to pass the time. Life in the castle was dull before you arrived, young master."

The knight gave an incredulous laugh. "You two fucking brats are going out of your way to screw me over!"

Yohan's smile vanished. "Your true colors are showing. Since we're being honest, tell me the truth. Where did you divert the taxes?"

The treasurer answered instead. "D-divert them? No! We merely moved them! As you can see, this storehouse is far too small to hold the tribute!"

Yohan nodded. "That's not untrue. Then tell me where you moved it."

"W-well..."

Yohan's gaze turned cold. "My uncle's storehouse, perhaps?"

The knight and the treasurer both froze.

"Looks like I guessed right."

The knight immediately shouted, "What the fuck are you talking about!"

"I thought something was strange. How could a wanderer expelled from his own house muster an army of three hundred and find the funds to maintain it?"

"With Count Staviana's support, it would be more than possible!"

Count Staviana was a leading figure in the aristocratic faction and the kingdom's chancellor.

"Support from House Staviana, is it? You seem to know something only one of my uncle's close associates would know."

The knight's brow furrowed sharply, as though he realized his mistake.

"You're certainly a traitor. Or perhaps you've been my uncle's spy from the beginning. Either way, it makes no difference. Admit your guilt and kneel."

The knight glanced around. Aside from himself and the treasurer, there were only three children here. A knight like him could cut them down in a single stroke and leave the castle. Escaping was far more urgent than finding out how his spying had been exposed.

He reached for his waist. "Kneel? I'll never kneel to a lowborn wretch like you!"

As he tried to draw his sword, his face twisted in bewilderment. It wouldn't budge. No matter how hard he strained, he couldn't pull the blade free.

He looked down, his face filling with horror. His hand and the sword hilt were frozen white, stuck fast together.

"W-what is this..."

Magic. A power forbidden by the laws of the kingdom. An unholy miracle was binding him. There was an apostate here.

The knight immediately looked ahead. Blue mana rippled around Ilea. She smiled gently.

"Draw that sword, and you'll die."

"Y-you bitch! Don't tell me!"

"No, that's not right. You've seen magic, so you won't survive either way."

With that, Ilea looked at Yohan. "May I, young master?"

"Just keep him breathing. A knight's body has plenty of uses."

A knight was valuable material. Properly prepared, he could be fashioned into a fine piece of work.

Looking out the window, Yohan added, "The sun will set soon. I'd better go. I have no use for the treasurer. Dispose of him as you see fit."

Ilea made a show of being appalled. "A Demon through and through. As you command."

No sooner had she finished speaking than countless equations engulfed the storehouse's interior.