The Master of Language - T.M.L Chapter 41 (Part 2):

At that moment, I sensed someone outside. I took out my staff, dried myself with fire magic, and went out to check.

Clark was standing outside.

“Have you rested enough?”

His eyes were exactly the same as I had seen earlier.

“I’m not sure.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. Please follow me. The Count and I have something urgent to discuss with you.”

He almost growled as if he was going to eat me, then led the way.

Butler Clark led me to Count Furst’s room.

As if the conversation had already been arranged, the Count was sitting at the head seat, and in front of him were three teacups and snacks prepared.

Probably no one will eat them.

Butler Clark sat on the Count’s left, and I sat opposite him.

He exhaled briefly and then spoke in a slightly louder voice.

“Count. I have been watching Young Master Fabre since he was born until now. I have hidden the truth all this time, not knowing what the future would bring, but I must speak now that the young master’s safety is at stake. Please understand.”

Count Furst quietly replied.

“Speak.”

Butler Clark opened his mouth.

“Young Master Fabre has not been able to speak until now. I am very sorry to say this, but it is clear that he has a much lower intelligence compared to children his age. Of course, he often reads books that even adults find difficult to read, but that doesn’t mean he understands all the content. He’s just looking at the letters as if they were pictures.”

“Continue.”

“Young Master Fabre rarely goes out of his room. This is because he feels extreme fatigue from changes in his environment. The kind of fatigue that ordinary people can’t even imagine.”

“I think it’s about time you get to the point, Butler Clark.”

Clark glared at me once and then said to the Count.

“Please expel the mage Ran from the mansion. Today, he crossed the line. He forcibly took Young Master Fabre to the city center of Sangria Port. You know better than I do how dangerous this is, Count. No matter if he is a mage, completely ignoring my will and putting the young master in danger is something that cannot be overlooked.”

The Count remained silent for a moment, then turned to me.

“Ran. Do you have anything to say about this?”

I folded my arms.

Then, turning to Butler Clark, I said,

“Butler Clark killed the Countess.”

“……”

“……”

A chilling silence fell.

Butler Clark couldn’t hide his bewildered expression at this sudden, yet confident accusation.

“Wh-what, what are you s-saying!”

“I’ll prove it.”

I stood up and walked to Count Furst’s desk at the back.

Then, waving my staff, I wrote down all the names I had seen on the scroll, saying,

“I saw the member list of the Assassin’s Guild. Every single name on it, without exception.”

“Was Clark’s name there?”

The Count’s voice was surprisingly calm. As if he was asking if I had eaten.

I shook my head.

“No. However, Duke Balkan’s name wasn’t anywhere either. Not even the surname Balkan.”

“And?”

“There was an interesting spell on that member list. It’s a spell that prevents writing if a person doesn’t write their real name. It’s a relatively simple spell, so I understood it at a glance.”

I cast the same spell on the paper with the names I had written. Then I walked back to my seat.

Until then, Clark still couldn’t say a word, as if he was out of breath.

I opened the back of that paper and handed him a pen.

“Butler Clark. If Clark is your real name, just write it down. Even if it’s not, if your real name isn’t among the names I wrote earlier, you’re innocent. And I’ll leave the mansion as you said.”

Clark didn’t even take the pen I offered and just sat still, glaring at me.

The Count slowly turned to him.

“Butler Clark. In all the decades we’ve spent together, this is the first time I’ve heard that you have another name. Is that right?”

Butler Clark turned to the Count.

“Count. This is slander. It’s a false accusation. You mustn’t be fooled. He says he saw the member list of the Assassin’s Guild? Do you believe this?”

The Count snatched the pen from my hand. Then he personally placed it in front of Butler Clark.

“Butler Clark. You can defend yourself after writing your name. It’s not too late. Go ahead and write it.”

Clark looked back and forth between me and the Count.

“Count. He must have investigated my past first…”

“Clark.”

An icy voice from Count Furst’s mouth cut off Clark’s words.

Butler Clark’s Adam’s apple bobbed. The sound of swallowing was loud.

Butler Clark clutched at his throat like a thief caught red-handed, then stared blankly at the pen placed in front of him.

After taking several deep breaths, he finally grasped it with a trembling hand.

The sweat from his hand dripped down, leaving marks on the paper.

In the end, he couldn’t write his name and put down the pen.

***

The matter was handled swiftly.

The Count calmly summoned the Knight Commander ordered Butler Clark to be imprisoned in the underground dungeon.

Clark did not speak a word afterwards. There was no anger, no resentment, no words of any kind.

After he was led away by the Knight Commander, the Count sat silently for over thirty minutes.

Unable to leave him alone, I stayed by his side.

Finally, he spoke.

“You were already certain. That he was the culprit.”

There was no emotion in his voice.

Which made it all the colder.

“When I saw that Duke Balkan’s name wasn’t on the list, I thought it could only be Butler Clark.”

“Why?”

“I can’t give you details because I made a promise to someone. But I can tell you that assassination attempts in this mansion never ceased. And that was possible because of the incompetent Knight Commander, who…”

Count Furst cut off my words.

“Clark always covered for him. I didn’t like him either, but I let it be since Clark helped with many things. Perhaps out of past affection, do you think the Knight Commander might help Butler Clark?”

“I don’t think so. Clark used him because he was simple-minded, not because he was on his side. In fact, Clark likely kept his distance from the Commander to avoid exposing himself.”

“I see. That makes sense.”

I continued my explanation.

“At first, I suspected he was just a pawn of Duke Balkan. But since the Duke’s name wasn’t on the list, it seems he acted independently.”

The Count turned his gaze to me and said,

“That alone wouldn’t be enough for such certainty.”

“You’re right. But I didn’t want you to get your hands dirty, Count. It’s also troublesome to explain everything.”

“…….”

The Count remained silent.

It seemed he chose not to ask, though he was curious.

I stood up.

“Ask him about his motives later. I’m curious about that too.”

Until I left the room, the Count didn’t say another word.

The shock must be great.

After walking a bit, I saw Fabre coming from the opposite direction.

He looked up at me with bright eyes and asked,

“Butler Clark. Is it true?”

It seemed he had been listening to the conversation inside and came to hear directly from me.

I picked him up and walked slowly.

“The Count is often away from home for long periods due to business. Who do you think the assassins were targeting? It was you, Fabre. Well, you probably dealt with the intruders without much concern.”

Fabre slightly pouted his lips.

“Is that so? They certainly tried persistently for a long time.”

“The assassins probably thought they died due to the mansion’s protective magic. They must have kept trying while studying in their own way. I was about to ask Clark about that, so let’s go together.”

Fabre hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

I held his hand and headed towards the underground dungeon.

To deal with Merlin, I must do everything I can.

Dangun

I'm currently Translating the following novel: "The Master of Language" If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!

•