Chapter 16

It has been a long time.

I will explain the reason for the delay in the afterword.

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"Is that all? If you’re finished, get out at once."

"I’d love to do just that, but... ah, Lord Harold, what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"What’s with the sudden curiosity? I have no reason to tell you."

"Well, I was just wondering if you were going to do your sword training today."

Harold inwardly tilted his head at Zen’s suspicious behavior and shifting eyes.

It was true that his food had settled while they were chatting, and he had been considering heading to his usual spot to practice his techniques, but that should have been of no concern to Zen.

"What of it?"

"I’ve kept it a secret until now, but I’m actually quite interested in swordsmanship! I thought I’d like to see you brandish your sword, Lord Harold."

Then go watch the professional soldiers, Kazuki almost blurted out. Harold was nothing more than an amateur who happened to have exceptional physical specs; calling his skill "self-taught" was being generous.

Previously, concerned about his lack of formal training, Kazuki had asked the mansion's soldiers for instruction. However, perhaps because they were terrified of injuring Harold, they had focused entirely on defense. Not a single one of them would launch a proper attack.

Considering their respective social standings, it was a natural reaction, but for Harold, the lack of a real sparring partner was a problem.

He had even considered asking his parents for help, but any instructor provided by those two—who doted on Harold to a fault—would likely be useless. He doubted they would ever teach him the practical, lethal combat he desired.

He planned to solve that problem eventually, but for today, he decided to make do with the practice partner who had just volunteered.

"Fine. I’ll show you—from the best seat in the house."

"Um, Lord Harold? Why are you carrying two swords? I said I was interested, but I have no experience, you know! Being your opponent all of a sudden is a bit..."

"Stop talking back."

"P-Please, have mercy!"

Zen’s screams grew distant as he was grabbed by the collar and dragged away. Eventually, the voices and footsteps faded into nothingness. Once silence had reclaimed the hall, Erika slipped out of Harold’s room.

Fortunately, no one saw her, but even after she reached the safety of her own quarters, Erika could not untangle the whirlwind of conflicting emotions within her.

She found herself ruminating on the words that had come directly from Harold’s own lips.

The servants she believed he had murdered were actually alive.

While he had orchestrated their escape, he was intentionally bearing the stigma of a murderer to prioritize their safety.

He was deliberately trying to make Erika, his own fiancée, hate him.

And despite all of that, he was still trying to find a way to save Erika and House Sumeragi.

Of course, she didn't blindly accept all of this as fact. She recognized the possibility that the entire exchange had been a performance staged by Harold and Zen.

Yet, at the same time, it was a narrative that finally made sense of everything—especially his hostile attitude toward her and his earlier remarks suggesting he had been developing medicine for years.

What was truth? What was falsehood? How was she supposed to interact with Harold now? Erika could no longer find an answer. Even her own desires had become a blur.

She felt as if she were wandering aimlessly through a thick fog. It was Yuno, returning from her errands, who finally pulled Erika’s consciousness back to reality.

"Lady Erika, are you there~?"

A light knock was followed by that familiar, drawn-out voice from the other side of the door.

At the sound, Erika’s heart settled just a little.

"...Yes, you may enter."

"Excuse me~."

Yuno appeared in her usual kappogi apron. Her unchanging appearance, regardless of the circumstances, felt incredibly reassuring in that moment.

Yuno, however, was quick to sense the subtle shift in Erika’s demeanor.

"Did something happen while I was out~?"

Though phrased as a question, Yuno was already certain that something had occurred. Her intuition told her it was likely related to Harold.

Erika stiffened at Yuno's sharp observation. She hesitated, wondering if she should confide in her.

If what she had overheard was the truth, then Harold was going so far as to endure infamy to protect the servants’ safety. To speak of it might be to throw his consideration back in his face.

However, as a member of House Sumeragi, she absolutely had to ascertain the truth. She had to know exactly what kind of person Harold Stokes truly was.

"—Yuno, please listen."

After agonizing over the decision, Erika decided to tell her. She didn't reveal everything, though—only the bare minimum: that Zen had pushed her into Harold’s room, and that she had overheard a conversation suggesting the two "murdered" servants were still alive.

Though much was omitted, it was more than enough to make Yuno furrow her brows.

"Therefore, I want you to investigate whether Clara and Colette are truly alive."

"Understood~. I will make the arrangements immediately~."

No sooner had she spoken than Yuno headed back toward the central district she had just left. Since Yuno herself couldn't leave the mansion too often, she would have to contact another internal investigator to handle the trek to Brosche Village.

As she walked back toward town, Yuno’s mind raced. After hearing Erika’s story, she felt a profound sense of incongruity.

(Is it really possible for Lord Harold to fail to notice a third party hiding in his room?)

Harold was a man of such caliber that he could effortlessly detect Yuno—a professional in the art of concealment. Was it truly possible for such a man to overlook Erika, who possessed no such skills?

Yuno’s conclusion was "no."

It was highly likely that Harold had intentionally leaked this information to Erika—and by extension, to the Sumeragi side. She couldn't fathom his true intentions or why he would leak information to House Sumeragi that he kept hidden from his own family.

The thought that she was currently being moved exactly as Harold intended left Yuno with a sense of bitter frustration.

(He possesses an unfathomable dread for his age~. I wonder what kind of brilliant strategist he will become once he’s grown~.)

Should she look forward to that future, or should she fear it? If he could be secured as an ally, there would be no one more reliable. Not only was he possessed of terrifying intellect, but even at his young age, he was already acquiring rare martial prowess. Even the word "prodigy" felt inadequate.

However, should they end up as enemies, he would undoubtedly be a formidable foe. It occurred to her that assassinating him while he was still a child might be the only way to drastically reduce future losses.

He was enough of a threat to make her consider such things.

It was only natural that Yuno would reach that judgment. "Precocious" didn't cover it. "Putting adults to shame" wasn't enough. At that level, one could not maneuver without letting even Tasuku realize their true intentions, nor could they toy with Yuno so lightly.

Even if Harold himself hadn't aimed for this specific result, it was inevitable that he would be perceived this way by his opponents.

Harold’s greatest mistake was that, in his desperation to manipulate hate points and adhere to the original story, he had completely neglected the evaluations of those around him. He understood that his words and actions deviated from what was appropriate for his age, but he had no leeway in time, mental energy, or manpower to exercise self-restraint.

In a sense, this situation was bound to happen.

Had he correctly recognized the reputation he was building and what it meant, he surely would not have carelessly stepped into such a predicament. It was a development that could have been avoided with a bit more caution.

Furthermore, while he felt that the unusually long stay of Erika and Yuno was mysterious, his failure to probe their objectives was a fatal oversight.

If one were to offer an excuse for him, it was a lapse in judgment caused precisely because he knew the original Erika—a girl who hated injustice. He never even dreamed that she or her attendant would act as spies.

If he had been watching the movements of Erika and Yuno, the possibility of them discovering Clara’s survival—at least at this stage—would have been low.

Having blissfully ignored all these factors, Harold foolishly chose to voluntarily head back to the Sumeragi estate.

The catalyst was an order from his father, Hayden, about three weeks after the secret of Clara’s survival was compromised, and just as Erika’s stay exceeded a month.

"Me? To the Sumeragi Territory?"

Hayden had summoned Harold to his study and explained with an air of importance that Harold was to escort the "unwell" Erika home and remain there to deepen their relationship.

The former was a mere pretext; the latter was the real goal. Hayden viewed Erika’s poor health as nothing more than simple homesickness.

"That's right. I cannot go myself this time, but it is necessary to show our sincerity."

(Sincerity, huh. Most likely, he wants me to accompany her to show everyone that our relationship is "improving"...)

Within the Stokes Territory, the engagement had already been made public. As a result, the commoners' feelings toward Erika had predictably shifted toward pity.

Harold could only be exasperated at his family’s lack of popularity. He had no confidence in turning those negative perceptions around.

"Understood. Then I should prepare to depart at once."

"Hahaha! To think you’re that eager... it seems the two of you have become quite close without me realizing it."

Of course, that wasn't the case. Erika had been confined to her room the entire time, leaving no opportunity for them to bond, but Hayden interpreted the situation in the way most convenient for him.

Harold wanted to drop a sarcastic comment about his father’s delusional optimism, but his "Harold Mouth" wouldn't allow it. Ignoring his laughing father, Harold viewed the expedition to the Sumeragi Territory as an opportunity. He privately geared himself up, thinking he would place his bets there.

Though he felt a sense of internal urgency, it was an incredibly reckless judgment. While problems were still piling up, he had grown overconfident after finally grasping a clue to improve his situation.

He was, essentially, walking straight into the ultimate minefield. He should have been more calm.

Even such a basic tenet of survival was forgotten by Harold in that moment. He did not yet know that his choice would invite a brand-new death flag.

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Author's Note:

First of all, I apologize for the one-month gap in updates.

I am very sorry.

The reason for this is a major change in my private life. Because of that, I felt so depressed that I didn't even have the energy to write, and I was in a state where I couldn't manage anything beyond the bare minimum requirements of daily life.

As an excuse, I suppose it was a "recharging period" to find some closure.

However, I have managed to emerge from that state for the time being. Since I have gradually regained the mental capacity to think about the story, I have decided to resume posting.

I apologize once again to the readers who have been waiting.

From now on, I'm hoping to get back to a pace of one chapter per week. Even so, it bothers me that this is a slow pace compared to other authors.

At any rate, I want to look forward, believing that "where there's bad, there's good," and continue writing "My Death Flags Show No Sign of Ending."