TSFA l Part 2 CH 69

Part 2 Chapter 69

***

“Hello, Alexander.”

Mario approached, puzzled to find Alexander alone.

Today’s task for Mario was to pry out answers to his father’s questions.
If necessary, he was prepared to tie Alexander down, rip out his nails, gouge out his eyes—whatever it took to make him talk.

But—

“You came alone? No guards with you?”

Alexander’s nerve, showing up here by himself, threw Mario off guard, and he couldn’t help blurting the question.

Mario had, in fact, left his own men waiting outside. If Alexander proved stubborn, he could signal them to come in. Torture wasn’t Mario’s specialty, and if Alexander turned out to be a straightforward, bull-headed type, he didn’t want to spook him too early. Best to reassure him first.

“I wanted to talk quietly with my sister. I told them to wait outside.”

Alexander tilted his head at Mario’s sudden appearance, but answered politely.

“I see.”

Mario nodded.
After all, this wasn’t a secret meeting—it was by Krista’s invitation.
No wonder the boy wasn’t suspicious. Poor fool.

“Heh.”

Catching the wary glint in Alexander’s eyes, Mario laughed brightly and spread his palms in a harmless gesture.

“You know who I am, right?”

“Of course.”

“Good, good. Krista’s running late. I just stopped by on my way, since I heard you’d be meeting here.”

Pulling out a chair at the outdoor table, Mario sat down.

“Sit. I’m busy, so I’ll leave before Krista arrives. Let’s just chat a little.”

“Yes, sir.”

Alexander sat across from him with an eager look. Mario thought to himself, Right, he’s still just fifteen.

He’d worried the youngest-ever defense attorney might be a tough nut to crack—but maybe not.

“…This isn’t really a topic for a reunion, but—why did you file for retrial of the Conrad Massacre?”

“Because Ryan Bassenberg was falsely accused sixteen years ago.”

“……”

The answer came without a pause. Mario was momentarily at a loss.

“Uh… sure. Obviously he was ‘wronged.’ But I mean—why dig it all up again?”

“What do you mean? You can’t live your whole life with a crime you didn’t commit hanging over you.”

“……”

“The public knows almost nothing about gifts. If you have a record as a mass-murderer, they’ll see you only as a killer. They don’t have the knowledge to question what really happened—and no reason to. That’s why an official verdict of innocence is absolutely necessary.”

Mario blinked at the words that poured out so smoothly, as though Alexander had been waiting for this moment.

“Everyone you meet in life knows nothing about you. They judge you on appearances alone. And Ryan Belzer has to go on meeting people for the rest of his life wearing the label of ‘mass murderer who burned the earth and slaughtered innocents.’ Do you think that’s right?”

Mario snorted and leaned on his chin, mocking.

“Did you say it like that in court?”

“Yes.”

“Hah. Bet the judge was moved.”

Mario quietly adjusted his opinion of the boy. He wasn’t just a stiff, bookish type. He could argue. He had conviction. And his loyalty to Ryan was ironclad. The kind of gaze that said torture wouldn’t work.

Not that Mario wouldn’t try.

“…So is clearing your foster brother’s name the only reason you stirred up Father’s wrath?”

“No. It could have been retried at any time. The reason now is to block Father’s paternity suit.”

“Thought so. He was going to bring you back into the family. But thanks to this retrial, that’s off the table. Clever, aren’t you?”

“I have no intention of returning to a criminal household.”

Mario’s smile froze.

“Criminal? The only criminal in your house is Ryan Belzer.”

“The fact you can say that with a straight face is what’s tragic. Over 80% of the Empire’s major crimes trace back to Bassenberg. Yet somehow, none of your family has a single stain on their records.”

“……”

“When I first came to the capital to study, that was the most shocking thing—how perfect the family’s public image was to outsiders.”

“…Why are you acting cocky?”

Mario’s eyes darted around.
That bravado—was he hiding backup somewhere? But there was no other presence.

“You think I can’t beat you bloody?”

“Violence is a crime. This is a Bassenberg villa. Plenty of people know I came here today to meet Krista.”

“Tch…”

So that was his ‘safety net’?
As if it mattered. The plan was to bury him anyway. Who’d know if a mountain collapsed on its own or was brought down by a gifted?

“…My turn to ask something?”

“I wasn’t finished—”

“What more do you want to know? Did Father send you to ask why my sister married the Third Prince?”

“……”

The faint smile on Alexander’s face made Mario realize something:
As much as Father had been watching, the other side had been watching Bassenberg too, just as closely.

So words won’t work.

Abyss of Resonance.

Mario sent a small quake rippling—his signal to summon his men.

“…Are your men strong?”

But Alexander just chuckled, having felt the tremor.

“Stronger than mine?”

“……”

He knew. He’d recognized the signal. A chill ran down Mario’s spine.

“Then why did you come here today?” Mario asked, hand sliding carefully toward the jackknife at his belt.

“To see Krista.”

“Then why all this attitude? You know I’m gifted, don’t you?”

“Oh, I know. That pathetically narrow-range power of yours. Even the user risks being buried. Useless as an offensive ability. Just a middling Blessing.”

“…Hey.”

“Anyway, may I ask a question now? Ah, and to answer your earlier curiosity—my sister married the Third Prince because they love each other. Simple as that. Believe it at face value.”

With that, Alexander suddenly opened his briefcase on the table.

Mario tensed—
But out came only a thick bundle of documents.

Flipping rapidly through the pages, Alexander spoke:

“The mass grave of protesting laborers in Friezman? That was you, wasn’t it? You contaminated the reservoir with your ability to fake an epidemic.”

“…?”

“You refused autopsies until the bodies rotted, covering up foul play. Dozens of innocents couldn’t even be buried properly, never returned to their families.”

“…What are you doing?”

“Handing down a verdict before I carry out sentence.”

“What?”

“The flood in the Trivelga barony that killed dozens and ruined the land? That was your doing too. Always clashing with Friezman’s territory next door.”

“……”

“Trying to prove yourself to Father as heir, you pulled every dirty stunt imaginable. None of it ordered, all of it of your own accord.”

Mario stared blankly. He couldn’t follow this insane turn.

“And there’s still more.”

Alexander was brazenly holding his own private ‘trial.’

“You stole the slaves Elliott Bassenberg supplied to Romaire, didn’t you? Ran an illegal brothel in your fief with them…”

Alexander grimaced, disgust curling his lip.

“…Enough. Just speaking it makes me sick.”

He tossed the papers across the table.

“The only reason you’re still alive is because your name is Bassenberg. Nothing more. If you were just anyone else, you’d have been executed long ago.”

With that, Alexander reached inside his jacket.

And before Mario could process—

Bang!

Gunfire rang out.

“Gaaaah!”

Mario screamed, clutching his burning right shoulder as he toppled to the ground.

What… what was that?

A gun?

No… was it?

The graze ignited flesh. Agonizing fire. Mario frantically smothered the flame with his hand.

Bang!

“Arrghhh!”

This time, his left thigh.

The situation was unraveling too fast to comprehend. Mario dropped to his knees, staring in shock at Alexander advancing toward him.

Click.

The barrel pressed against his forehead.