My words sounded like utter madness.
Yet absolute conviction was nailed on my voice.
Even then, reputation would remain a fleeting hindrance, seeing my younger sister, the old butler, and the six maids looked at me with baffled expressions.
The good-for-nothing son of the now-fallen noble family was spouting bullshit, they probably thought.
"M-Militarize estate…? Wh-what do you mean, Young Master?" The old soul surrounding the ruined marble table was the first to ask, his expression was filled with disbelief.
I gazed at the butler, a man of old times with gradually whitening hair, and dark eyes.
This man was not asking because he did not know what a 'militarized estate' meant, considering the existence of the 'Republic' in this world. Rather, he was probing the path the dying remains of this territory would take.
"Brother… are you insane?"
However, before I could respond to the butler's question, my sister interjected, her amethyst eyes resembling mine seemed to pierce through my body.
Indeed, her question was warranted.
Meanwhile, the six maids only listened in silence, but their countenance was evidently coated with concern.
Thus I could feel the inevitably increasing tension of the atmosphere.
"I thought you already know that," I replied succinctly.
Reputation-wise, it seemed the original Lugh, whose thorough background was nonexistent throughout the story, was truly a piece of trash, not just in the academy, but even within the family.
My sister gritted her teeth at my nonchalant response.
"Why, Kaya? Are you going to judge me without seeing it through to the end? I am not insane enough to pull everything in motion since we're on our last legs now."
"…"
My eyes then landed on everybody; it's the kind of gaze that would not take 'no' for an answer, just as how I worded it earlier.
"It will not happen right away, but that's the vision that will gradually take shape in this territory."
"…"
Their silence was deafening, prompting me to ignite the little flame in everyone's hearts.
"Why? You'll give up on taking revenge against the bastards who ruined the entire family and everyone in this place that the Patriarch had built over the years!?"
"…"
"My father and mother died in the territorial war without an ounce of mercy from our enemies. Yet you're going to hole up here in this damn mansion until we're starved to death?!"
I then stared at the maids, who were unable to meet my gaze.
"What about the head maid? You said she sacrificed her life by being captured as the price for your lives since she's a great asset of the family that even the enemies coveted and spared her… What do you plan to do? Stay here and lament her absence forever?"
"…?"
I pressed further. There was no such thing as sugarcoating in the path that I would take for the sake of this world, even if not all of humanity deserved to be saved.
"If you plan to continue living a useless life, then get out of my sight."
"…!"
It was then…
Bang!
A pair of hands slammed on the table.
"Y-You… What do you know?! You've been living a lavish life in the academy all this time, causing trouble here and there, and yet you're saying we're useless?! You… didn't even witness what happened here! H-how dare you…!"
It was the right-hand woman of the head maid.
I stared at her teary eyes, seeing its azure glow.
Her hands were trembling.
Was it because she could not do anything back then?
Was it guilt?
"J-just..."
Her lips trembled.
"Just how could you say-"
Before she could finish, seemingly contrary to my demeanor a few seconds ago, I stood up from my seat and…
"Huh…?"
"Y-Young Master?!"
"B-Brother…?"
I bowed my head and said,
"Please forgive me."
"…!?"
I lowered my pride, something insignificant and merely a hindrance to move forward considering the dire circumstances, and continued to speak, "I was worthless. I am unable to do anything for the family…"
My words resonated in my soul.
Am I truly speaking to these people?
Or to myself, that I was not able to do anything for those I held dear in my previous life?
"A chance… Give me a chance. If I fail, then I will let you cut off my head. That's a promise in the name of the Eshu Family."
Everyone was at a loss for words.
Even if the original Lugh was utter garbage, he's someone who never took his family name for granted, especially in a matter of life and death.
Lugh's image was the exact opposite of what he used to be, as though he had become a totally different person, that's how they perceived him at this moment.
My words did not end there.
"From this moment on… whatever kind of person I was in the past, consider that version of me dead…"
It was something they would not be able to comprehend.
Yet the emotions I conveyed… were genuine.
It was something they would not be able to deny.
Everyone stared at me.
I didn't know what they were thinking at the moment.
I also refused to use the [Eye That Witnesses Heaven and Hell] to peek into their current state.
The maid from earlier slowly seated, her expression in a daze.
I also returned to my seat and opened my mouth to speak, "Now then… let's discuss what should be done."
In the late evening, I laid out the first steps to stabilize the territory.
*
In this barren land with nothing but fleeting hope, I stared at the starry sky, seeing the enormous celestial body illuminating the world.
Standing on the balcony of the mansion, my gaze gradually saw the numerous tents I ordered to be set up for the homeless, which served as their temporary homes.
Necessities were distributed, and the morale of the remaining military personnel in this place was restored a bit. They were then tasked to guard tents in case of plundering.
However, seeing the state of these people, they could not even have the strength to plunder one another.
Step, step.
Hearing gentle footsteps approaching, I heard a familiar voice.
"Brother…"
My sister, Kaya, leaned at the balcony's railing. Her eyes also observed the people outside the mansion.
The flickering lights in their tents seemed to represent whatever remained on them. It was lonely.
Could this be unofficial lord save them from this hell?
Or would dying be the better choice?
But maybe they were unknowingly waiting for a savior, that's why they did not end their insignificant lives.
"…"
"Are we going to be okay?" She asked serenely; I sensed her eyes looking at me.
Returning her gaze filled with numerous thoughts, I remembered her 'Status' through the [Eye That Witnesses Heaven and Hell].
*
[Status Window]
Name: Kaya of Eshu
Age: 16
Soul Order: Dim Soul (Death)
Main Talents: Necromancy (Growth); Discerning Eye (Growth)
Plundering Conditions:
[1] Necromancy (Growth)
Permanent Plundering: [This classification of plundering is unavailable against this person due to unknown reasons.]
Temporary Plundering: [Destroy each statue depicting every Orthodox Deity.]
[2] Discerning Eye (Growth)
Permanent Plundering: [This classification of plundering is unavailable against this person due to unknown reasons.]
Temporary Plundering: [Admit to this person that you are not from this world.]
Observation: [Nervous but does not show it.]
*
'Is the Eye That Witnesses Heaven and Hell broken? It seems I can't see their Mana Level. Some things in her status bother me… but Necromancy, huh? This will come in handy.'
She was referred to as 'person' instead of 'talent owner' in plundering conditions.
What's more, the seeming affix – Death – attached to her Soul Order was the same as one's [affinity].
"Brother…? What are you thinking?"
Kaya's voice cut off my thoughts.
"Ah… If we're going to be okay? We'll see about that."
"It's a gamble, isn't it? But considering the geographical conditions and our estate's reputation throughout the neighboring kingdoms, there's a high chance they'll leave us alone for the time being. The question is…"
"…"
"How long will we be able to remain in the shadows, brother?"
Her query was reasonable. Even if there's a low chance, there's still a possibility for any unwarranted wanderer that could pass through the territory.
If that happened, everything would be screwed.
Thinking of the original story, I replied with certainty, "Nine months. We'll come out of hiding in nine months."
"…"
Kaya looked at her brother, whose expression contained faith in something she could not fathom.
"As I said earlier in our meeting, I suffered from an incident and lost most of my memories…"
Kaya then glanced at me, her expression saying 'What are you getting at?'
"Tell me about myself, what kind of person I am. Tell me about father and mother… Tell me about everything."
I stared at Kaya, my gaze seemingly pleading.
It was a chance I could not let slip by, for me to know what kind of person Lugh was outside of the academy… outside of the original story.