Absolutely Do Not Touch Eldmia Egga

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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“Time is precious.”

That was Count Bosha’s sole thought as the trial dragged on.

It was a trial he was destined to lose, a pawn he was prepared to sacrifice.

But the anticipated gains from that sacrifice had been shattered by the unexpected appearance of a certain individual.

Now, it was all a waste of time.

“In fact, I’m starting to incur unexpected losses.”

The wyvern pilot, presumed dead, had returned alive.

The incidents orchestrated to frame Lagnis had been mysteriously resolved, as if someone had anticipated his moves.

Not to mention the sheer frustration he felt when Eldmia’s name surfaced during his testimony against Baron Favaera.

The boy had even brought guild officials and presented irrefutable evidence, turning the tables and putting Bosha at risk of exposure.

Thanks to that, he now had a mess to clean up as soon as the trial concluded.

“I need to deal with that arrogant brat quickly, before he causes any more damage.”

He had to erase any connection to Pabaira.

If he wasn’t careful, his ties to the demons might be revealed.

And now, he also had to deal with Eldmia Egga.

“I don’t know how much he knows, or how much of it is true… but he could know too much.”

He had momentarily panicked when the boy mentioned the Iron-Blooded Princess, but a moment’s reflection revealed the absurdity of the claim.

Mixing truth and lies was a fundamental tactic.

It was embarrassing to be played by a child, but the shock of Delt’s demise had clouded his judgment.

“Such a waste. Such a tremendous waste.”

The boy was only fifteen.

He had supposedly slain Delt at fourteen.

What fourteen-year-old could kill a knight at the Expert level?

If he hadn’t witnessed it himself, he would have dismissed it as a childish fantasy, a tale from a knightly novel.

But it was reality, and a hostile one.

He had to crush that talent, no matter how regrettable.

“…And with that, today’s proceedings are adjourned. Tomorrow’s session will…”

The moment the predictable trial ended, Bosha bolted from his seat.

He had no time for the royal family’s sudden display of affection towards Lagnis, nor for her polite responses.

He ignored Viscount Etabil’s desperate pleas, his impending execution a direct result of Bosha’s failing schemes.

He had intended to dispose of the Viscount anyway.

With the wyvern pilot’s unexpected survival, there was no reason to keep him around.

Bosha was pressed for time, focused on moving forward, on overcoming the immediate obstacles.

“I should have skipped the trial altogether.”

Issuing orders within the confines of the courthouse meant a significant delay in receiving reports.

Even with his carefully chosen subordinates, he would lose half a day at best.

He didn’t doubt their competence; it was the wasted time that frustrated him.

Determined to reclaim every lost second, he strode from the courthouse, his eyes immediately falling upon his aide and coachman.

“My Lord…!”

But something was wrong.

Before he could process the man’s bewildered expression, his gaze was drawn elsewhere.

At the end of his line of sight stood an unusually tall young man with short, military-style black hair.

Recognizing Bosha’s gaze, the youth waved, his face impassive.

Today, he wore the Levien family uniform instead of his usual adventurer’s garb, but it made little difference.

It was only their second face-to-face encounter, yet the boy had an uncanny ability to provoke.

But more than the boy’s demeanor, it was the white object in his hand that captured Bosha’s attention.

His Aura-enhanced vision focused, revealing a white envelope.

A chilling premonition gripped him.

“No. It can’t be.”

It was more likely that the boy possessed an innate talent for psychological warfare than that his suspicion was correct.

The timing was perfect.

After flaunting his connection to the Empire’s White Star, the boy now brandished a white envelope.

It was a blatant, yet effective, display of psychological manipulation.

Even Bosha had to admit, it was unsettling.

Maintaining a facade of indifference, he turned back to his aide.

“What is it? Why are you so flustered?”

The man stammered, clearly at a loss for words.

This was unusual.

He valued the man’s composure; that was why he kept him close.

This level of distress meant something was seriously wrong.

He had a suspicion.

Two days prior, after his encounter with Eldmia, he had ordered his men to conduct a thorough inspection and report back.

Something must have gone wrong.

“Calm yourself. We have an audience. Just explain the situation.”

These matters demanded discretion.

No matter how urgent, he had to maintain composure.

He waited patiently, and finally, his aide regained his composure.

“Baron Rubilla and the Dreamer assigned to him are out of contact.”

“…He occasionally disappears for unknown reasons. He submitted his regular report, so we can afford to wait for the next one.”

“That’s… this time is different, My Lord. There’s chaos at his residence. I’ve heard that even when he disappears, he always leaves a message. This time, there’s nothing.”

Ignorance breeds recklessness.

Baron Rubilla was the only fool brazen enough to defy royal decree and breed wyverns.

He was indispensable, for now.

That was why he had assigned a Dreamer to monitor him closely.

And now, he had vanished?

A thousand thoughts raced through his mind, but Bosha dismissed them, focusing on the immediate issue.

“…Wait for the Dreamer’s report. He would have reported anything unusual. Is that all?”

“No, My Lord. The… merchant group has been eliminated.”

“…Merchant group? Eliminated?”

“…Yes.”

The news was so absurd, so devastating, that Bosha couldn’t even muster anger.

He felt a wave of nausea, the world spinning around him.

He desperately hoped it wasn’t true.

But his aide wouldn’t report such news without confirming it, especially regarding a merchant group so close to the capital.

He gritted his teeth, forcing the words out.

“When… when did this happen?”

He had just heard rumors among the nobles about a successful visit to the night market a few days prior.

How could this have happened?

“The Capital Patrol discovered their ravaged encampment during a routine patrol. According to their assessment, it happened two or three days ago. Most of them were decapitated…”

“They slaughtered that many without a sound? Merza the Hunter uses Aura!”

“He… apparently offered no resistance…”

Bosha felt his carefully constructed composure crumble.

He fought back the urge to vomit, the world tilting around him.

But his aide wasn’t finished.

“And…”

“There’s more…?”

“An official missive from the Empire arrived at the royal palace while you were at the trial.”

Suppressing the overwhelming urge to collapse, Bosha let out a long sigh.

Finally, a glimmer of hope amidst the relentless barrage of bad news.

And the thought that Eldmia had been waving around an empty envelope, oblivious to this development, brought a bitter chuckle to his lips, despite the gravity of the situation.

Children will be children.

This was an information war…

“The Empire… states that they will not take the slander against Margrave Levien lightly… and that they will offer their full support in identifying those who insulted a friend of the Empire and a loyal subject of the kingdom…”

“What?”

Bosha’s carefully maintained mask shattered.

What had he just heard?

“The Empire… defended Lagnis?”

“Yes. And the missive wasn’t delivered by an Imperial messenger.”

His aide’s gaze shifted towards the direction Bosha had been looking moments before.

Please, please let it not be true.

His body stiffening, Bosha slowly turned his head.

Eldmia stood there.

Still waving the white envelope, a mocking smirk on his face.

“Eldmia…!”

He extended his middle finger, a vulgar gesture, towards Bosha.