Free Web NovelChapter 35: First Objective
"Ugh."
Vincent groaned and clutched his head before planting it on the table.
"Young master!"
"My Lord..."
Leona placed her hand on Vincent’s shoulder and expressed concern.
Anastasia rushed to his side and checked his wrist, feeling his veins.
’A repeat of the carriage incident?’
The last time the young master reacted like this, he almost died.
This time, the Madam wasn’t here. Anastasia couldn’t stop the unease rising in her chest.
"Young master, please respond." Anastasia rubbed his palm and massaged his shoulder.
Leona stood beside and gripped Vincent’s shoulder while watching Anastasia’s every movement. Unable to help medically, she simply followed her lead.
Vincent didn’t respond.
The system’s voice in his head hadn’t stopped and he could not hear them.
+
[Ding!]
[Fate Trajectory changed.]
[...]
[Fate Restoration begins.]
[Correction attempt initiated by World Laws...]
[Failed.]
[...]
[Trajectory displacement confirmed.]
[Overall Fate Deviation Rank: A-]
[...]
[Calculating rewards...]
[1%]
[...]
[7%]
[...]
[19%] freewēbnoveℓ.com
[...]
[Do not interrupt the calculation.]
[Estimated completion time: Unknown]
[Feel free to resume in real life activities that won’t alter Fate.]
+
The ringing finally ceased.
Vincent lifted his head and inhaled sharply.
"My Lord."
"Young master."
Distinct melodic voices came from either side.
Warmth lingered on both his shoulders and palms. One touch felt firm and calloused while the other, soft and gentle.
Vincent leaned back.
Leona and Anastasia were leaning over him, close enough that he could see the worry in their eyes. Neither seemed to realize they were still holding onto him.
’...Am I in heaven?’ Vincent wondered while staring at the two.
"Are you in pain?" Anastasia asked immediately.
"I’m fine." Vincent smiled faintly. "Thank you."
Anastasia gave him a curt nod and quietly withdrew her hands.
Leona, however, didn’t move.
Instead, she tilted her head.
"Would you like me to keep holding it?"
Vincent blinked.
Anastasia blinked.
"...what?" Vincent asked.
"If it eases the pain." Leona’s tone remained as calm as ever. "I do not mind."
For a brief second, Vincent simply looked at her.
He then looked at their hands.
Then back at her.
"I think... I’m cured already. Thank you."
Leona looked thoughtful as she quietly withdrew.
"So holding hands has medicinal effects:."
Vincent: "..."
Anastasia slowly covered her face. She had absolutely no idea how Leona arrived at that conclusion.
"I’ll get some tea."
Anastasia rose from her chair and quietly left.
The room settled into silence.
A clerk entered to exchange a stack of reports before disappearing just as quietly.
Moments later, Anastasia returned carrying a silver tray.
She placed a cup before Leona.
Another before Vincent.
The last remained in front of herself as she sat back down.
Steam lazily curled upward.
Vincent wrapped both hands around the warm porcelain cup.
"So," he said and took a small sip. "What’s next?"
Leona lifted her own cup.
"We work with the assumption Anastasia’s right."
Clink.
Vincent lowered the saucer onto the table.
"Why?"
He raised his eyebrows.
"When we requested grain from every noble house, Duke Brunelle was the first to respond. He contributed an entire day’s worth of food, a third of everything we received."
Vincent shook his head.
"Our houses have never fallen out with each other either."
Everything Anastasia had said during the Masquerade Ball about Duke Brunelle resurfaced in Vincent’s mind.
Respected. Reliable. Military genius. Good relations with D’Arc House.
Nothing about the man matched the mastermind they had uncovered.
Nothing except the military.
Vincent glanced at Anastasia. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
It was only his fourth day in this world.
Anastasia, on the other hand, had lived through this future four times.
If she pointed toward Duke Brunelle...
He had no reason to doubt her.
Leona calmly stirred her tea.
"It could be genuine, it could be a mask."
She looked directly at Vincent.
"But at least we have a lead. Until another appears, it’s worth following."
"You’re saying?" Vincent didn’t quite understand.
"I’m saying we can try gathering proof against him until we find a reason not to."
"Oh."
Vincent took another sip and felt slight bitterness at the back of his throat.
"Alright."
He nodded.
"Where do we start?"
"Silver Town."
Leona pointed at the occupied town on D’Arc County’s map.
"Bandits took it over in a precise five minute window."
She pointed at the borders.
"They expected reinforcements but those are now blocked by the Knight Order. It’s the best time to strike."
Vincent fell into thought. "What if they attack the civilians for their own protection and escape?"
While he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, he used to play a lot of games and had a habit of thinking about the worst case scenarios.
Leona fell silent and thought about it.
Anastasia shifted in her seat and looked at the two.
"I could be wrong about this. Maybe the person pulling the strings wished for us to make such a map."
Leona shook her head. "The plan is too sophisticated to be a mask. It started with crops failing in the Southern Region a year or more ago and cascaded till the present."
"Even if you’re wrong, following the trail costs us nothing. If we ignore it, it might cost us everything."
The table turned quiet.
Anastasia took a sip of tea to clear her mind.
She turned to Vincent.
"Regarding the civilians, there is a way. Silver Town can be taken back if it’s just a bunch of bandits, without burning the whole town down."
"What is it?"
"It’s this..."
Once Anastasia answered, Vincent slightly knitted his brows.
He thought about it and said, "I’ll ask but be prepared for rejection."
"No problem."
A faint smile appeared on Anastasia’s face.
Leona leaned back.
"Then our first objective is confirmed."
Her crimson eyes settled on the reports across the table.
"Capture the bandits."
"Recover Silver Town."
"Find proof."
Vincent and Anastasia nodded.
The discussion continued into the afternoon.
Fresh reports replaced old ones.
Orders were drafted.
Questions became plans.
Plans became priorities.
Only after everything that could be discussed had been discussed did Vincent excuse himself.
He walked toward the bedroll in the corner of the room and laid down.
With the excuse of an afternoon nap, he began browsing through the system messages.
[Ding!]
[Rewards generated.]
[Reward count exceeds normal deviation limits.]
[Special compensation available.]
