However, it was already too late.
"These pieces of mithril... are to be transported to... Castel’s..."
Gicod convulsed a few times, his gaze completely losing its spark as he collapsed to the ground, dead on the spot.
Charlotte’s gaze sank slightly.
The Soul Contract on Gicod’s body... was even more tyrannical than she had imagined, killing Gicod with just a moment’s delay.
"It’s the True Spirit Contract of the Bloodline, one of Mireya’s most tyrannical Soul Contracts."
The Black Cat Nisi stepped forward with a solemn expression.
"Yes, I have also heard of such a contract, said to be on par with the notoriously binding Servant’s Oath."
Sebastian also nodded heavily with a grave look on his face.
A certain black cat’s expression instantly stiffened.
However, Sebastian remained oblivious to the fact that he had, unintentionally, hit a sore spot for the cat but instead muttered to himself in confusion,
"He was willing to sign a True Spirit Contract... even as an exile, he is still the proud Vadret of the Nais Clan. What kind of benefit did they promise him?"
Unable to understand, Sebastian shook his head and then respectfully said to Charlotte,
"My lady, it seems that the ultimate destination of these pieces of mithril is the key to the Nais Clan’s plans."
"The Nais Clan’s headquarters are already quite close to Castel, and now it seems... they’ve probably taken advantage of the Castel family’s decline to infiltrate deep into Count Territory."
Charlotte nodded faintly.
Her judgement was the same as Sebastian’s.
Gicod, as an exile, had clearly been taken in by the Nais Clan.
While the other party’s reactions and answers had not directly addressed her doubts, they had indicated that the force influencing the local nobles’ attitudes towards her in Castel, likely stemmed from the Bloodline Nais Clan!
The Nais Clan had infiltrated Castel, and they had likely recruited some of the nobles.
They were probably plotting something in Castel.
Thinking this, Charlotte’s eyes narrowed slightly.
It seemed she would have to pay more attention to the banquet in a few days’ time and take a good sweep for traitors within her family.
Charlotte’s gaze flickered:
"Sebastian, when we return, conduct a thorough investigation into the flow of mithril in our territory over the past few years, especially in the black market."
Although Gicod was dead, he had pointed Charlotte in a direction.
By understanding where the mithril had gone, perhaps she could uncover the Nais Clan’s secrets.
The typically unobtrusive Nais Clan must have some reason for their abnormal behaviour of reaching into Castel, and that certainly involved more than just Castel’s abundant mithril production!
"Your commands will be followed,"
Sebastian said, placing his right hand over his chest.
After saying this, he stepped forward to turn over Gicod’s body, retrieving the curse page from his hand and also checking his pockets.
With Gicod’s death, the last of his dragon scales also completely fell off.
After being turned over by Sebastian, a pale and handsome cheek was revealed.
Seeing that cheek, Noah, the little werewolf still kneeling on the ground, couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise:
"Ah! It’s the Chief Steward of the Mining Workshop! He’s Lord Kode, the Chief Steward of the Mining Workshop!"
The Chief Steward of the Mining Workshop?
Charlotte glanced at the little werewolf, a thought stirring in her heart.
As the biggest money tree of Castel, the appointment of the Chief Steward of the Mining Workshop required a vote by all the nobles who had dividend rights, with the final approval given by Count Castel.
Of course, the title of Count Castel had been vacant for some years.
Although Charlotte had been the nominal little countess for over a decade, her father had died in battle without confirming her as successor. Even before her accession, her grandmother had intervened in the management of Count Territory, so she was not recognized by the territory nobles.
Her grandmother clearly gave up control of the Castel Territory long ago and probably had long since stopped participating in steward appointments, meaning the power had truly been in the hands of the territory nobles for quite some time.
In other words, the fact that Gicod had become the steward meant that the infiltration of Castel’s nobility was probably more severe than Charlotte had imagined.
"My lady, your Holy Scripture Fragments."
Lost in thought, Sebastian had already respectfully handed over the Holy Scripture Fragments.
Charlotte nodded slightly, pleased to receive them, and was surprised to find a small and exquisitely crafted wooden box along with them, engraved with an intricately beautiful thorny rose pattern.
Yes, the same thorny rose pattern that Charlotte had casually drawn when identifying the Holy Emblem...
But she was certain that the pattern on this wooden box was entirely unrelated to herself, and considering the origin of the thorny rose pattern, it should belong to the Coria Kingdom.
"This was found on Gicod’s body, clutched tightly in his embrace, and might contain some key information."
Sebastian said respectfully.
Charlotte slightly nodded and opened the wooden box.
The next second, melodious music suddenly began to play from the wooden box, and a pair of lifelike automata dolls appeared inside, dancing gracefully to the music.
Charlotte and her companions were all startled; it was a music box.
There was no information in the music box, only a gorgeous badge and an aged, carefully folded parchment.
Charlotte first examined the badge, a shield-shaped emblem with the image of a ferocious giant dragon.