Chapter 3

He had gathered crucial information, but he was still a long way from a solution. He needed to devise a concrete plan to save Clara and Colette.

Kazuki’s immediate idea was to get the two of them out of the Stokes Territory and relocated to Brosche Village, the home of the original story’s protagonist, Rainer.

If Clara stayed alive, this move offered the highest probability of Colette and Rainer eventually meeting. Based on his knowledge of the game, Brosche Village was by no means large; he remembered Rainer mentioning that all the children in the village were childhood acquaintances.

The real question was whether Colette and Rainer could still form a bond as deep as they had in the original story.

With Clara alive, it would be difficult to recreate the exact circumstances where Colette ended up living with Rainer’s family.

In that case, can I somehow force her into the ‘childhood friend’ position? he wondered.

“Mmm...” He groaned, but no brilliant ideas came to mind. It was at this deadlocked moment that none other than Norman appeared.

“Excuse me, Lord Harold.”

Seeing Norman bow with the exact same precision as he had hours ago, Kazuki felt a sense of pointless admiration. A master butler really is on another level.

The only thing different from their previous encounter was the thick bundle of papers tucked under the man's arms.

“Lord Harold, how are you feeling...?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself. I’m fine. More importantly, what is that?”

“These are maps of the lands surrounding the Stokes Territory and information regarding nearby settlements, both within and outside our borders.”

(Norman-san, you’re a godsend!)

Kazuki suppressed the joyful shout that would have surely shattered his character. Even if he had let it out, it probably would have been "translated" into some dubious praise like, “Hmph, I suppose you’re not entirely useless.”

Even so, it was impressive that Norman had gathered such a mountain of information in just a few hours. Kazuki decided to ignore the question of what had happened to the rest of the man's duties in the meantime.

“Quite the collection. So, how do you intend to save that servant?”

“...It is difficult for me to say this, but I believe the ideal solution would be to move them outside the Stokes Territory.”

This was a massive gamble for Norman.

Removing residents from the land meant a loss of labor and tax revenue. If Harold had intended to kill her from the start, he might not have cared about such trifles, but Norman didn’t believe Harold was thinking that way anymore.

However, a noble might still find it offensive that their "property" was being handed over to another lord. It was a matter of prestige.

“I see. Which towns are the candidates?”

“T-they are listed here...”

Norman was caught off guard by Harold’s nonchalant response; it felt as though the rug had been pulled out from under his expectations.

Harold ignored the butler’s surprise, focusing entirely on the documents as he listened. His posture was the definition of serious. In fact, he seemed so enthusiastic about the proposal that he immediately began troubleshooting potential issues.

“Moving beyond the borders requires significant preparation. First, can commoners even travel freely between the territories of other nobles?”

“There are no specific restrictions for individuals. However, being sent to unfamiliar lands with nothing would make survival difficult. They will need a minimum amount of supplies...”

That meant they would need a small luggage carriage—one belonging to the House Stokes, naturally. And to move a noble or merchant carriage through checkpoints, a travel permit was mandatory.

“Supplies cost money, and with a daughter in tow, a carriage is a necessity. We’ll just have to deal with the permit as well... What a massive pain this is.”

Despite his complaints, Harold’s eyes never left the documents for a second.

Furthermore, Norman was shocked to realize that Harold was already fully aware of Clara’s family situation. He had assumed the boy was as indifferent to the servants as his parents were.

(Could it be... No, it must be. Lord Harold truly cares for the people, even at his age.)

Was that why he had demanded Norman take the lead? To test his sincerity?

If so, everything made sense.

The lie about using her as a "magic experiment" was likely a ruse to isolate her in a safe place when she was moments away from being executed. His lack of concern over the loss of labor and taxes—which were negligible for a single family—was because he held no petty vanity. He sincerely wanted to save her.

Thinking of the future, Clara would only be safe in a land where the reach of House Stokes could not find her. Of course he wouldn't refuse the proposal.

He has been moving to save her from the very beginning. It’s only natural he’d demand my best since I’ve offered to help.

A surge of heat rose in Norman’s chest. Simultaneously, he felt ashamed for ever doubting the boy. He shouldn't have questioned a child who was so single-mindedly searching for a way to save a lone servant.

If Harold was serious, Norman had to be serious too. His voice naturally grew more fervent.

“In this town, the upcoming harvest festival means they will be desperate for labor...”

“But the cost of living is higher there than in the Stokes Territory. Without a stable income, they’ll starve...”

Harold offered sharp, accurate critiques of every suggestion based on the data. His logic, perspective, and knowledge were far beyond those of a ten-year-old.

Of course, Kazuki’s mind was that of a university student, but to Norman, the boy appeared to be nothing short of a child prodigy.

To be honest, Norman didn't have a shred of affection for House Stokes. The current head and his wife were the personification of blood supremacy and elitism. They looked down on anyone who wasn't a pure-blooded noble and treated commoners like insects.

But their son was different.

He wasn't blinded by easy prejudices; he possessed a strong moral compass and a mature worldview.

This boy could be the light of hope that changes House Stokes, Norman thought. He couldn't help but see a radiance in Harold that inspired true expectation.

“—And that is the extent of my findings.”

By the time their heated discussion ended, over two hours had passed. Outside the window, the sky was dyed a deep madder red.

Through his exchange with Norman, Kazuki had been able to spot several small details he would have otherwise missed. The plan to move the two to Brosche was now largely viable.

The only question left was when to strike. Based on his memories of the game, not much time passed between the event's start and Harold murdering Clara. It was likely either tonight or the day after next at the latest.

As long as there wasn't a massive delay, it shouldn't break the original story's flow. To be safe, he wanted to act within the next three days. He also didn't want to act so suddenly that his parents became suspicious.

However, doing it tonight was unrealistic. That left tomorrow or the day after.

“Norman.”

“Yes!”

“We act tomorrow night. I’ll secure the permit. Have everything ready by then.”

“Understood.”

After much internal debate, Kazuki chose the following evening.

Based on Harold’s personality, the murder in the game likely happened on the first night—tonight. He wanted to keep the timing as close to the original "depressing event" as possible.

Once Norman left, Kazuki stood alone in his room, bathed in the glow of the setting sun. He ran through his simulations over and over, practicing every move and every line for the following night.

This was a one-shot deal where failure was not an option. He was carrying a human life on his shoulders. There was no way he wouldn't be nervous.

To shake off the tension, he immersed himself in the mental rehearsal, repeating it single-mindedly. He stayed in that trance until the dinner hour arrived and his consciousness was pulled back to reality.

Perhaps the practice paid off, because when dinner began, he was able to smoothly deliver the lie to deceive his father.

“Oh, that reminds me, Father. I have a request.”

“What is it, Harold?”

“I heard a blacksmith recently opened a shop in Reitze, and his swords are supposedly incredible. I want one.”

“Hmm. I’ll have a merchant stop by and pick up a few suitable blades, then.”

“That will take too long. I want it immediately.”

“My, Harold is so proactive,” his mother chimed in with a giggle. “In the future, you’ll be a magnificent noble, just like your father.”

Kazuki had no idea why wanting a sword made him "proactive," but it was useful cover, so he took it.

“Mother thinks so too! Come on, Father, please? If you give me a permit, I can send a messenger to buy it right now!”

“Harold wants it so badly, dear. Why not just write him a quick note?”

“I suppose you’re right. Very well, I shall write the permit tomorrow morning.”

“Thanks, Father!”

To any outsider, the laughter at the dining table would suggest a close-knit, happy family.

But none of the surrounding servants watched the scene with warmth. They all knew the truth. They knew these people viewed them as nothing more than stones on the side of the road. Whether they existed or not didn't matter; they weren't even worth noticing.

Even if they were the employers, the servants could never feel anything but coldness toward them.

For everyone but the master and his wife, the "happy" dinner was a chilling performance that dragged on into the night.

And yet, there was no one in the room who knew just how false the scene truly was.

No one except Kazuki and Norman.