“Are you sure it was such a good idea to treat him as a good-for-nothing?”
Craig Westfeldt lifted his face from his hands and looked in the direction of the voice that had suddenly intruded on the room. There he saw a young man: Brett Westfeldt, his only son. As the young man stared in anticipation of how his question would be received, Craig narrowed his eyes, as if trying to divine the boy’s true intentions.
Not seeming to notice his father’s demeanor, Brett spoke again. “Surely he must resent us and be planning some manner of harm to our family? Then again, I suppose he’s not likely to have the nerve. He’s never shown a hint of resistance to all the verbal abuse we’ve subjected him to—”
“Brett.”
The older man interrupted the younger’s diatribe, causing his son to tremble. While his tone was not stern in the slightest, he appeared to be standing up for the good-for-nothing. Surely, his father would not do such a thing, but...
“As I have told you countless times, you are too hasty.”
“It’s just...father, you must have some idea in mind, mustn’t you? Some use for the good-for-nothing?”
Despite his words, Brett was certain this was not the case. After all, his father knew better than anyone how worthless Allen was. Never mind finding a use for him—the young man hadn’t even managed to raise his Level. And considering he hadn’t been granted a Gift, what possible purpose could he serve?
Then, something occurred to him. “Father...could it be that you’re planning to put his lack of a Gift to good use? If used wisely, that could be a wonderful—”
“Brett.”
“Hnh...”
This time, the Duke’s tone was much more forceful. Recognizing his slip of the tongue, Brett quickly shut his mouth. However, opening his mouth in the first place was the issue. Brett might have seemed, or at least tried to seem, like an adult, but he had not yet come of age. It was inevitable that he would make a few mistakes.
Craig spoke slowly in an admonishing tone. “I have already considered what you are trying to say. However, I have a better use for him.”
“And what in the world might that be?”
“Hmm...let me give you an example. Imagine that close to this town, a noble is witnessed in a terrible state, after which they disappear. And imagine that recently, a person of unclear identity was seen wandering around. Who do you think would be the most likely culprit in such a situation?”
For a moment, Brett’s expression betrayed his lack of understanding, but a look of comprehension soon emerged on his face. While many people in difficult circumstances flowed through the city, few of them could be said to be mysterious. But if there was someone who was seen that way...
“I understand completely. My utmost apologies for not thinking that far myself, father.”
“Please. You are still young. Unlike that boy, you still have a fine future ahead of you. Now is the time to make mistakes.”
“Yes, thank you, father. But I promise I will prove myself useful.”
“Indeed. I expect as much.” Craig truly meant his words. He had no choice but to expect great things of Brett; after all, the boy would be an indispensable part of his current plan.
“There’s just...one thing that’s bothering me,” Brett ventured.
“And what’s that?”
“Well...what exactly do you intend to do once you’ve gotten that good-for-nothing wrapped up in such an affair?”
“I suppose from our current vantage point, it seems ridiculous, but once we’ve managed to bring about those circumstances, everything will fall into place. It’s simply a matter of making one dead body disappear. And a mere Level-1 good-for-nothing will stand no chance against us.”
“You’re certainly right about that.” Seeming convinced, Brett returned to his own work. He had much to attend to.
Craig’s gaze also returned to his hands...when suddenly, his gaze narrowed. It hadn’t occurred to him during their conversation, but he realized now that it was just about time for the show. If things went well, all of this would finally be over.
As he wondered how everything had gone, a faint smile played across his lips.