Overlord (LN)

She had solved the slave problem and proposed policies which put the common man first. If she did not qualify as a treasure, then what did? Granted, the nobles frequently obstructed her legislation and prevented most of her policies from being implemented, but Climb still knew how much she thought of the people.

This gentle woman wept before Climb whenever her populist policies were denied. What right did a useless man (Zanack) have to lecture her?

Anger flared up within Climb’s heart, and he longed to give Zanack a good punch.

They might only be half-related by blood, but they were still of the same bloodline, and he should not be saying such things. However, Climb did not allow his anger to take physical form.

Renner had once said, “My brother wants to provoke you into slandering him. I’m sure he’s trying to find an excuse to take you away from me. Climb, you must not show any weakness to my brother.”

Climb thought back to the day when he had solemnly sworn that he would never betray that forlorn look on his master’s face, she who had been abandoned even by her family.

“I never said Renner was a monster. That’s just what you’re thinking... forget it, enough with the cliched excuses. Still, to think you’d actually consider her a treasure. When she makes her proposals, does she actually think they’d be accepted? I can’t help but think that she suggests them even when she knows they’ll be rejected anyway.”

How could that be? It was impossible. This man was simply guessing wildly in his hideous jealousy.

“Your servant submits that such is not the case here.”

“Huhuhuhu... So you don’t consider that woman a monster. I don’t know if you have terrible taste or if her acting’s too good... I’d suggest you doubt her a little more.”

“How could I doubt her? Renner-sama is a treasure of the Kingdom. Of that I have no doubt.”

Everything she did was righteous. Climb could come to that conclusion because he had been watching from beside her.

“Really now, is that so? How interesting. Then, could you send that monster a message? ...Tell her that ‘while I, as her elder brother, consider you as a political tool, if you’re willing to help me, I can relieve you of your inheritance and grant you a domain on the borderlands’.”

Frustration surged up in Climb’s heart.

“...Surely you jest. I can hardly believe you would actually tell me that in a place like this, so I shall pretend that I never heard it.”

“Huhuhuhu. What a shame. Let’s go, Marquis Raeven.”

The silent man nodded from where he had been watching Climb and Zanack from the side.

Climb did not quite understand Marquis Raeven. He seemed to have drawn a clear line between himself and Climb, but he did not look at Climb the same way the other nobles did. Renner had not given Climb any special instructions about Raeven either.

“Ah, yes. Marquis Raeven agrees with me that that woman is a monster. No, it is more that we have the same vision, hence our alliance.”

“—My Prince.”

“Let me say it, Marquis Raeven. Heed my words, Climb. If you were blindly devoted to her, I wouldn’t be telling you all this. However... I feel that you’ve been deceived by that monster. That’s why I’m telling you, in good faith, about her monstrous nature.”

“My Prince, forgive my rudeness, but could you tell me in what way is Renner-sama a monster? Nobody cares more for the country and the people than she does.”

“...That’s because everything she does is a waste of effort. She moves too much for too little gain. At first, I thought she was simply inept at dealing with others. Then, while discussing the matter with Marquis Raeven, I realised that she might already have accounted for that. Once I realised that, everything fell into place. If that was really the case, then she would be a woman who, while locked up the palace, could manipulate the nobles as she desired. What is that, if not a monster?”

“Certainly you must be mistaken. Renner-sama is not that kind of person,” Climb insisted.

Her tears were most definitely genuine. Renner was a compassionate woman. Climb knew this better than anyone else, given that she had picked him up.

However, Climb’s words could not move the Prince. He smiled bitterly, and then left Climb. Marquis Raeven followed behind him.

Climb muttered to himself in the now-deserted corridor.

“Renner-sama is the kindest person in our country. My existence is proof of that. If...”

Climb swallowed the following words, but spoke them in his heart.