A Famous Traitor and Treacherous Genius

137 – It’s Not an Illegal Act Yet (1)

Past.

To be more precise, when he was a ‘traitor’ Gray.

Ta-euang.

I killed the loyal soldiers of the fallen kingdom.

There were various political reasons.

A person who was loyal to the fallen Nostrum and called for the revival of the kingdom was captured, and the heir of the family that was the guardian of Nostrum executed him.

The broken former Margrave of Gibraltar had no intention of picking up a sword, and the contemporary Margrave of Gibraltar had no intention of getting blood on his hands.

“Because of the loyal soldiers, you always have a hard time.”

The Emperor, Habsburg, once came to the canyon and tapped me on the shoulder and said those words.

“This country is so strange. The empire has occupied many countries so far, but there is no place that cries out for the resurrection of the kingdom more than this place.”

“Isn’t it because in a unified empire, there is no power to live like before?”

“Do you really think so? And the loyalist you shot dead a little while ago?”

“…”

Revolutionary Army, Conquistador.

These knights under the princess of the fallen country were people who moved only for the cause of ‘for Nostrum.’

“Pure, blind, and selfish. They are terrorists who have abandoned even their families and secure food and capital only through looting without earning any proper financial profits. With the sole intention of reviving Nostrum. .”

Those whom the emperor called loyal soldiers had many problems in many ways.

Since it was not a kingdom revival movement that represented the will of the people, it did not receive support for ‘food support’ from the people of the fallen country.

In the end, they mainly filled their hungry stomachs with ‘robbery’, such as plundering to obtain food, raiding freight railroads, and attacking magic vehicles traveling on the highways.

Only to revive the kingdom.

“If you were them, would you have acted like they did for the revival of the kingdom?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

I don’t understand.

“Living happily with your family would be the best thing, but I don’t understand why you put so much effort into a ruined country.”

“Right?”

“But from their perspective, if reviving the kingdom means saving your family and living the happiest life. That’s not the reason.”

Because I couldn’t understand, I tried to understand.

“If the action of kingdom revival activities is a means rather than an end to the resurrection of a fallen nation, then wouldn’t it be said to be a proper purpose?”

“Is the resurrection of the kingdom a means, not an end?”

“Yes. For example.”

I was at that time.

“Killing the Habsburg Emperor or reviving Nostrum in this land is ‘revenge’ against the Emperor.”

It seems like he was pretending to point the gun at the emperor.

“Wouldn’t this be enough justification?”

“.. Haha!”

At that time, the emperor said something like that.

“Yes. I would rather understand this. Unlike loyal soldiers, the feeling of revenge is a very human part.”

Despite pointing his gun, the Emperor put his gun aside and tapped me on the shoulder.

“If I don’t want you to become an enemy, I need to make sure you don’t have a desire for revenge. Is there anything you need? If dealing with loyal soldiers is a hassle, I will hand over your position of ‘executioner’ to someone else.”＜ Br＞

“It’s okay. It’s safest for me to take over killing those people.”

Traitor Gray has been killing captured revolutionary soldiers.

“If a revolutionary soldier’s family harbors revenge on someone, it is easier for everyone if they harbor it against me.”

In principle, their family could not understand the actions of the family members who participated in the revolution, but at the same time, they harbored hatred towards the margrave, a traitor who shot and killed the family.

“If someone else than me steps forward, I will definitely be terrorized by someone with revenge. And…”

“And?”

“If the executioner is someone else, your death will be much more painful than if I kill you. Your Majesty. I don’t know anything else, but I want you to know this one thing.”

“You give me advice? Haha. It’s been a while. What?”

“If the method of killing is cruel, a second loyal soldier will be born, but if you kill with respect, you can reduce the possibility even a little.”

“…Hoo.”

“The people of Nostrum are like that. They cut off limbs and torture people even if they do something they don’t understand, and such fear ultimately creates a hero.”

“I see.”

As for those active in the revolutionary army, neither the Emperor nor I could understand their principles of action.

But one thing was clear.

“It would be easier to accept that they are so vicious out of revenge. It is not to maintain their vested interests, but to act like this solely for the sole reason of trying to revive a fallen country.”

Only for Nostrum.

“Can you understand these people?”

“I don’t understand.”

For those armed with reason and logic, the concept of blind loyalty to tradition and history was an incomprehensible concept under any circumstances.

“Not long ago, imperial historians spoke of something like that at a conference. If we look at these people from a truly objective perspective, if we look at them from a somewhat friendly perspective from Nostrum’s perspective…”

“Patriotic, what do you mean?”

“Okay.”

Those who are not loyal to the country, but have reached the point where they love the country.

“I wish you would send that love to me, the Habsburg Empire.”

They were the ones that the emperor was unable to stop in the end, forcing him to make the choice of ‘extermination’.

And.

At the center of those people was Naria, and next to her was Falwood Roland.

My friend.

* * *

‘It’s still the same.’

I used to think that people before and after regression were different people, but after looking at many people, I thought that the basis did not change.

The same was true for Falwood Roland and Marquess Roland’s successor.

“Uhm…”

“Are you uncomfortable, President?”

“No. That’s what a knight of Nostrum should do.”

Regarding Falwood’s sudden resignation and declaration of support, the president expressed both joy and discomfort.

“The election was a disaster.”

“Haa…”

Vice President Bathory lamented, covering his face with one hand, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Rest assured, President. Suddenly declaring support in a situation like this could result in negative views towards him.”

“Is that a safe thing to do?”

“I spoke to the ‘Chancellor’ who expects the election to be conducted fairly. However, speaking to the Grand Duke of Winchester, it is certainly a good thing for Princess Naria that more and more people are resigning voluntarily.”

Whether there is animosity or not, the candidates who come up behind them, no matter how bad their personalities are, are people who have at least five votes around them.

“Where will their votes go? Will they be swept away by the atmosphere and go to Naria? Or will they go to someone else?”

“Uhm…”

“From the beginning, this vote was a three-way battle.”

“Noir. Blonde. …Naria.”

Vice President Bathory repeatedly folded and unfolded his three fingers to taste him.

“Guardian of the traditional kingdom. A deity from the empire. And…”

“Until now, no one from the royal family has wanted to become the student council president. Naria may be the first.”

“…This is hard to expect.”

Vice-Chancellor Bathory leaned back in his chair with a half-given look on his face.

“Now how many tickets will Princess Naria take? That’s the difference.”

“How much did you expect? Blonde student.”

“At least 40, at most 60?”

“There are so many.”

1/5.

Out of 300 new students, at most 60 will vote for people from the Empire?

“If the remaining 16 candidates received less than 60 votes, a blood battle would probably break out after the election.”

“Who voted for the imperial student?”

“Yes. Verification work may occur.”

If he is elected as student council president, he will definitely find out who voted for whom, and those who have the qualities of a loyal soldier may go to work to find out.

“But now, if anyone, Naria or Noir, wins, they will be able to get away with it no matter how many votes there are.”

“Why?”

“It’s a secret ballot. Even if we get caught, we can add a variety of reasons.”

However, if Blonde loses, it can be overlooked as ‘it was just a joke’.

“Still, it came out so excitingly, but with manly aspirations. Sympathy that I would feel sorry if I only received 10 votes from the Empire. It was a joke that only I could do. I should have voted for the candidate I originally thought of, but I made the mistake of stamping in the box of another candidate.”

These were all actions that occurred when people voted during play at the orphanage.

And in fact, because of some rebel votes, there were cases where the results went in a different direction than what the person wanted.

One thing is certain in this regard.

“Elections are war. All you have to do is win. You can do anything to win.”

“It’s war… “

“Let’s watch slowly. By the way, the speech is over.”

17 people, last.

After all candidates finished their speeches, voting began soon.

The time it took for voting to be completed was approximately 30 minutes.

A total of 300 people entered the polling booth, stamped one vote, and the paper that went into the ballot box made of magic stone was recorded in real time by Viscount Hex and the Student Affairs staff, who opened the ballot in front of everyone.

“…The winner of the first student council president election. Naria Geo Nostrum received 140 votes!”

First place. Naria Geo Nostrum.

Clap clap clap clap.

Naria, who received about half of the support, became the student council president.

* * *

Late at night.

While Naria Geo Nostrum was holding a banquet in the outdoor plaza in front of the Hall of the Sun to congratulate all freshmen on their election as student council president.

“Thank you for your hard work, Viscount Hex.”

“…What happens when a person with a sore leg who uses a cane comes in through the window of a 7-story building?”

“Because this is a place where it’s okay.”

“How long are you going to keep that stick like that?”

“When cane is no longer needed?”

I sneaked into Viscount Hex’s office on the 7th floor, the top floor of the Student Affairs building.

“Thank you for your hard work in conducting the election.”

“What? I’m glad it turned out as expected. There weren’t any major variables.”

“Did you think Naria would win?”

“You’re not even a candidate, so what?”

Viscount Hex pointed to the large ballot counting results paper hanging on the wall.

“Noir, 74 votes. If a 14-year-old gets this much, it’s a lot.”

“After all, age was something that could not be helped.”

“If you’re an adult, you probably don’t know how big a one-year difference is for children under their 20s. It’s only because we’re in Gibraltar that we get this much.”

“I guess so.”

“Hey. How much do you think you would have received if you had come forward?”

“137 votes.”

“…What is that vague yet specific figure?”

“I just think so.”

It doesn’t mean anything.

Because it is a memory of defeat for the first time in one’s life, buried in a corner of someone’s memory.

“There is something more important than that.”

“Okay. Then tell me.”

Viscount Hex pointed to the ‘ballot box’ in the center with a serious look.

“What are we going to do with this now?”

“I ask the head of the Morgania family’s intelligence department, ‘Black Rose’.”

“…”

“What is the motto of the Black Rose?”

“Oh my god, there is no secret we don’t know.”

Viscount Hex answered obediently with her half-closed eyes.

“But this is impossible. They didn’t install a video magic stone in the polling booth or do anything strange. It was Imperial people among the Student Affairs Office staff who prepared the voting in the first place…”

“There are no perfect secrets in this world. With a few tricks and the concept of ‘time’, nothing is impossible.”

Slurp.

“There is a way to find out.”

The ballot box opens.

“You want to know, right? Who voted for whom?”

There was a huge pile of papers that had already been poured out and then opened, but I ‘picked out’ a few of the tickets stamped on Naria among them.

“Order, memory, time. If you have these, it’s no problem to figure it out.”

“…What are you trying to say?”

“If I remember in my mind the order in which 300 people voted, and list them with ‘marks’ in between, all of this indiscriminately organized paper will be listed in order.”

I placed a ticket with Noir’s stamp in front of me.

“Do you know who the owner of this ticket is?”

“How do I know that? Only 74 friends voted for Noir?”

“This is Wednesday, the 137th person to vote.”

“…”

Viscount Hex’s expression began to distort.

“And this is the 34th. The 85th. This is…Sheesh, the 299th.”

“Hey. You can’t believe this…”

“I gave the same instructions to all the children from the orphanage. When stamping, I made them specify the location. For Naria, the circle should fit perfectly into the specifications at the bottom left, and then apply force to the upper left part of Let it be printed in bold.”

“When did you order something like that? “What are the circumstances for you to tell me something like that?”

“From an orphanage.”

Preliminary work for activities at the academy has already been prepared with play activities at the orphanage.

“If intelligence is exchanged even without contact between spies, the enemy will not be able to easily find out. Hehe. It’s just a child’s play.”

“…He’s a bit of a prankster.”

“Whether it’s serious or not, it doesn’t matter. In fact, this is the most important part.”

I looked through some tables and placed one next to number 137.

“This is a part that requires relying purely on the human body itself and is close to manual labor. Please help, Viscount Hex.”

“You sound the most uneasy, but let me ask you. Okay, how can you be sure about the votes of the kids you planted in advance? But how are you going to investigate other people’s votes?”

“Have you ever played puzzles?”

“Puzzle?”

“Yes. A puzzle where you put together pieces. A puzzle where a picture is created when you put together the pieces.”

After going through the table, I put another table next to the 137th table.

“It’s a ballot paper produced by the Empire, with no magic effects, but it’s a ‘print’. And this print paper…”

I waved the ballot that I left behind at number 136.

“The size is small.”

“…?”

“Rather than a single ballot being used as is, it was printed so that multiple ballots appeared on one side and then physically cut.”

Spread out numbers 136 and 137 tightly and stick them to the side.

“Ta-da.”

“…”

“It’s impossible based on common sense. Unless a high-ranking knight comes, it’s impossible. But if a master-level talent infuses mana into the eyes. If he can focus his senses on his fingertips and even perceive the texture of the cut paper .”

I lightly relaxed my right leg, sat down on the chair, placed a battery on the large desk in my office, and started writing down the numbers.

“Viscount Hex. Time to get to work.”

“This is crazy.”

“It’s crazy, but you’re curious. Who voted for whom? The princess of the kingdom or the guardian of the kingdom? Or was it a kingdom person who voted for an empire person?”

“Ugh, ugh…!!”

“We have a lot of time. This is something only Viscount Hex can do. I will help as much as I can.”

“If you can do it too…!”

“What kind of dangerous words are you saying? You said you would help. Just think of it as a puzzle game.”

I opened the ticket for Naria under number 13 and wrote her name underneath it.

“Isn’t the original role of the intelligence department to find things like this?”

“…Astacia?”

“Yes. Think positively.”

Fun play.

“Detecting spies.”

“…!”

“Why did Astasia vote for me and Ria? I don’t know why, but I do know one thing: she voted. This is the same.”

87th.

“Andy Jefferson. Why did this person, who called himself Princess Naria’s personal guard, vote for Blonde, an imperial student?”

“…”

“Isn’t it fun to find people whose usual words and actions differ from the voting results?”

“You. Really, haha…”

Viscount Hex quietly took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes with his hands.

“The principle of secret voting, which someone had called out at a faculty meeting, died on the same day.”

“It’s not illegal to go through ballot boxes and find out who voted for whom, right?”

“What?”

“Neither the kingdom law nor the imperial law, this is against the law. There is no relevant law in the first place.”

“…”