Chapter 9: Civil War Era - The Assault
The sky was stained crimson by the setting sun.
What would normally be considered beautiful now seemed sinister, as if drenched in blood.
How different things can feel, based on the state of one's mind.
Christine thought this, sighing softly before closing the window of her carriage.
After an all-too-familiar carriage ride, the procession from the Duchy of Lafayette finally arrived at the Count Aquitaine's estate.
"We've arrived, my Lady."
Taking a deep breath, Christine grasped the hand of Gaston, her escort, and stepped down from the carriage.
But what greeted the returning procession was not the usual welcome.
Seeing the armed soldiers rushing out and surrounding the carriage, Christine narrowed her eyes and looked back at her maid, who hesitated to follow.
"Just stay inside, Lina."
"What? But, Miss, what's going on...?"
Without waiting for a reply, Christine shut the carriage door.
She stood there composedly, asking the two nobles who came out with the soldiers, "Baron Caron, Baron Duna, what is this about?"
Baron Caron bowed respectfully to Christine,
"I apologize, Miss Christine. The Count has been unconscious for several days. We were ordered to bring you urgently..."
"And who issued this order?"
Baron Caron closed his mouth at Christine's sharp question.
Instead, Baron Duna spoke up, "The order came from the Countess, the current acting lord."
Glancing at Baron Duna's arrogant face, Christine replied simply, "Fine, lead the way."
But Duna was not yet done, "Before that, we must disarm your escort knight."
"Since when am I treated like a criminal in my own home?"
"You seem unaware of the situation. You have been accused of poisoning the Count. Cooperating might reduce the suspicion against you."
As Duna signaled, the soldiers hesitantly began to approach Christine.
"Stand back!"
The soldiers flinched and froze in place at Christine's command.
"If you do not cooperate, it will be considered treason against the acting lord-"
Duna's words were cut short.
"Remember who stands before you - the daughter of Aquitaine! Do you truly believe I poisoned my father? I will go myself and prove my innocence. And remember, when the time comes, I will not forget your actions today."
Even Christine was surprised to hear her voice so clear and resonant.
After a tense silence, Baron Caron finally spoke.
"Put away your weapons."
At the Baron's command, the soldiers he led let out a sigh of relief, sheathed their weapons, and stepped back.
"Please forgive our rudeness, Miss Christine."
Christine gave a slight nod to Baron Caron and then turned her gaze to the soldiers of Baron Duna.
"Those who step back now will be forgiven for this insolence."
"What are you doing! Defying the order of the acting lord is treason against the Count's family!"
The soldiers were anxious but did not retreat.
"May you not regret this choice."
As Christine murmured, Gaston, standing behind her, drew his sword—
The doors of the cargo wagon behind them burst open, and a group rushed out.
"What? Restrain them!"
"Everyone, hold your positions! Don't move!"
The conflicting commands of Duna and Caron exploded simultaneously, and the battle commenced.
"Argh!"
"Aaah, my leg!"
Amidst the clashing of swords and spears, screams and cries, Christine stood unfazed, dressed in a dress as dark as mourning.
As Gaston wielded his sword like a man possessed, cutting down soldiers, the troops from Lafayette who had emerged from the cargo wagon followed suit, brutally slaughtering Baron Duna's men.
"Ah, aaaaah!"
Christine, half-maddened, watched with a numb gaze as a soldier charged at her with a spear.
Before the spear could reach her, a sword split the soldier in two.
The blood gushing from the soldier who couldn't even scream drenched her dress.
Christine thought how her dress, now soaked in a blood-red hue, was ironically fitting for a day like this.
After cutting down the soldier, Pierre stepped in front of Christine and swiftly threw a dagger, striking accurately between the eyes of a soldier far away aiming a matchlock gun.
Pierre turned his head to look at her.
"Are you alright?"
Ah, she hadn't known he could sound so alarmed.
Feeling strangely unfamiliar with this, Christine spoke.
"The plan was to infiltrate, but it's completely gone awry, Young Duke."
Pierre, throwing another dagger, replied, "Well, if we leave no witnesses, it's somewhat an infiltration, isn't it?"
Hearing this, Christine couldn't help but laugh.
To think she would find laughter amidst the stench of blood and screams, she wondered if she too had lost her senses.
The situation was quickly resolved.
Baron Duna ran helter-skelter into the mansion, and all of his soldiers were turned into cold corpses.
Pierre, covered in blood, approached her and offered, "Give your command, Lady. It’s a rare opportunity to command the Young Duke of Lafayette as your knight."
"...Please ensure the mansion is sealed off."
"Let's make sure not a single rat escapes."
Christine composed her expression and looked at Baron Caron.
"I will follow you, Miss Christine."
***
Christine, leading Baron Caron and his soldiers like her own subordinates, headed towards the Count's bedroom.
On the way, she glimpsed her own room, completely ransacked and in disarray.
"Uhh...."
Baron Duna, who had gone out to restrain her, was nowhere to be seen, and the Countess's guards, witnessing the sight of Baron Caron following her like an escort, were at a loss for how to respond.
Hesitating not a moment, Christine strode forward and flung open the door to the Count's bedroom.
As she entered, the bewildered faces of the nobles and the Countess inside greeted her. Christine, lifting the hem of her blood-stained black dress, greeted them.
"I, Christine de Aquitaine, just returned from the trade business in the Duchy of Lafayette."
Countess Yvonne looked shockingly surprised but quickly yelled with venom.
"What impudence is this? To barge into the Count's bedroom in such a manner!"
"I came upon your request, Countess."
Christine responded nonchalantly, glancing at her father lying unconscious on the bed.
Countess Yvonne gripped her fan so tightly it seemed it might snap, but then turned her gaze to a man beside her.
The man, clearly a demon with horns on his head and brown skin, respectfully bowed at the Countess's gesture and spoke.
"It is an honor to meet you, Lady Aquitaine. I am Garp, affiliated with 'Envy' under Abyss Corporation. I am here today on the Countess's request for an investigation."
Having said this, Garp pulled a pouch from his pocket, grabbed a handful of powder, and sprinkled it over the Count lying on the bed.
As the mysterious, glowing powder touched him, something inexplicable and pinkish became visible within the Count's body.
Something made of magic seemed to be moving through the veins.
"This product is from our 'Envy' company, named 'Eternal Rest'. It turns colorless and odorless when dissolved in water. Consumed daily for 7 days, it circulates through the victim's veins, inducing a comatose state, and within about 7 days, leads to death.
In the Count's case, considering the progression, he will probably pass away by tomorrow. However, a small consolation: during those 7 days, the victim dreams blissfully, dying without any pain. Isn't this a remarkably humane and advanced product?"
Christine spoke incredulously.
"So, you verify the poison you created yourselves? What a distasteful hobby."
Garp, unchanging in his demeanor, kindly smiled and replied.
"Without verification, how can we demonstrate the excellence of our company's products? It might sound arrogant, but our technology is significantly advanced. If you do not use our company's paid verification service, it's impossible to verify with the outdated technologies of other nations-"
"So, you're saying I, who knows nothing about this, used it to poison my father?"
Christine, having dismissed Garp's words midway, posed her question. Countess Yvonne, with an arrogant lift of her chin, replied.
"How despicable to act so innocently without a care."
Christine actually admired Countess' own audacity.
She must be confident, knowing her brother and soldiers had failed, believing that framing Christine in front of the nobles was all it would take.
Countess Yvonne sharply smacked Christine's hand with her fan.
Confused, Christine's face hardened as she saw a woman entering through the bedroom door.
"You were Christine's maid, weren't you? Now, speak up. What did your lady ask you to do?"
The former maid, avoiding Christine's gaze, bowed her head and spoke in a trembling voice.
"M-miss asked me to add powder to the Count's tea, saying it was for his health. I really didn't know what it was! I just did as Miss said...."
Even as she trembled like an aspen, Christine tightly closed her eyes at the sight of her old friend telling lies.
At first, she had planned to merely banish her from the manor because of their long-standing bond
"Could this be the powder in question?"
"Yes, yes. That's the one."
"This powder is indeed 'Eternal Rest'. Its magically glowing, distinct pink color is unique. Though it seems to dissolve in water, it never breaks down, instead accumulating in the victim's body."
"Gasp...."
"Could it really be Miss?"
With eyes closed, Christine was a bystander to what seemed like a third-rate comedy dialogue she couldn't bear to entertain.
"Do you have anything to say now? I'll at least hear your final defense."
Hearing the Countess's triumphant words, Christine opened her eyes and walked towards a bookshelf in the corner of the room.
While everyone watched her with puzzled looks, she pulled books in a familiar sequence, revealing a small safe.
The Countess's eyes widened in shock at the document Christine retrieved from the safe, giving Christine a somewhat pleasant feeling.
To hide a tree, best hide it in a forest.
They might have thoroughly searched the trade office and Christine's room, but they certainly wouldn't have thought to turn the Count's bedroom upside down.
In front of the nobles and the Countess, Christine unfolded the document.
"Trader Abyss Corporation 'Envy' division. Trader Baron Duna. Clearly recorded here. I didn't know what the item was, but thankfully, you've even brought the verification service, saving me the trouble."
Countess Yvonne dropped her fan in surprise.
"How, how could that be?"
Christine sneered coldly. Countess Yvonne had obviously ordered the destruction of that document.
Unaware that the employee tasked with its destruction was one of Christine's own.
Christine addressed the nobles.
"It seems the poison purchased by the Countess's family was used on my father. And the one who accused me of this deed was my 'fired' maid, summoned by the Countess."
Before the nobles could react, Christine produced another piece of paper.
A letter, scorched and partially burned, carefully pieced back together.
Most of the writing was indecipherable, but words like 'Lafayette', 'trade', 'escort', 'assault' were restored and visible.
Most importantly, the document bore the distinctive seal of the Lafayette family, recognizable despite the extensive damage.
"It's badly damaged, but since the author is here in person, verification should be possible. The Lafayette family had warned us of danger, but someone ignored it, endangering the bloodline and trade of Aquitaine."
Christine slowly shifted her gaze, and the nobles naturally followed her line of sight.
"Countess. The poison your family bought was used in an assassination attempt on the Count, and you deliberately ignored the warnings from an allied family, putting me at risk. This is your chance to defend yourself against the accusation of treason against the Count's house, if you can."
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