After briefly explaining the current situation of the family, the chairman said.

“…As the matter of succeeding the Marquis title has been discussed several times before, you may express your opinion by raising hands at this time. The final conclusion will be determined by majority vote. Now then.”

Being such an important moment, the vassals were tense as well.

Only Young Marquis Caiman was leisurely interlocking his fingers.

“Those in favor of Young Lord Caiman succeeding as head of the family, please raise your hands.”

“……”

Hands went up one by one.

Many of the loyal vassals who had taken Calliphe’s side on the political marriage issue also raised their hands.

This was because Calliphe lacked the magical ability essential for being the head of House Offensa.

Just as the raised hands were about to exceed the majority.

“Wait.”

Calliphe put on the brakes.

“Do you know what the nobles said about me when magical beasts went berserk at Baron Rotten’s party?”

“…Young lady, is that really an important issue that needs to be brought up now?”

“Of course it is, Young Marquis. I’m especially curious about your opinion.”

Wiping her smile away, Calliphe addressed everyone.

“House Offensa should compensate the accident victims. Because House Offensa created illegal magical tools… regarding that public opinion.”

“That’s nonsense. Why would House Offensa create illegal magical tools?”

“There’s no need to respond to every public instigation, young lady.”

The vassals spoke with uncomfortable expressions.

But Calliphe shook her head and stood up.

“Public instigation? Maybe now, but soon it will be taken as fact. Because illegal magical tools will keep increasing in the market.”

“Lady Calliphe!”

Young Marquis Caiman raised his voice quietly.

“Are you speaking out of turn again? If you want to submit an agenda to the grand meeting, you need to follow proper procedures.”

“Is it because you followed procedures so well that you haven’t been able to solve the illegal magical tools problem until now?”

Calliphe looked at Caiman intensely, reproaching him.

“Young Marquis Caiman, the overseer of illegal magical tool enforcement.”

“…!”

The vassals’ gazes gathered on Caiman.

While the magic tower focused on magical research and development, House Offensa managed and regulated magic.

Tracking down the illegal magical tool organization that was giving them headaches lately was one of those duties, and Caiman was the person in charge.

Caiman’s eyes grew sharp as he noticed Calliphe’s intention.

“…Are you trying to expose my faults now? Haha. Well, I suppose the young lady who only goes between mansion and party venues wouldn’t know about outside affairs.”

“……”

“Unlike what you think, I have arrested numerous dealers who were selling illegal magical tools at transaction sites with my enforcement team.”

“Then why hasn’t there been any progress until now?”

“Because those dealers immediately took memory-erasing potions when they were caught.”

Caiman’s vassals took his side.

“The potions were crude so their memories became a mess, and even after working hard to restore them, there was no useful information.”

“Moreover, the transaction methods keep changing so we have to track from scratch every time.”

“This much is possible because it’s Young Marquis Caiman. How can you speak when you don’t even know anything, young lady?”

Listening to this, Calliphe smiled slightly.

“What if I do know?”

“…Pardon?”

“Lynen.”

Lynen, who had been waiting, distributed several documents to the vassals.

He had brought them when entering the grand meeting hall.

“These are records of my tracking the illegal magical tool organization over the past few months.”

The eyes of the vassals, who had been skimming the documents indifferently, grew larger and larger.

“Th-this!”

“It contains the patterns found in the ever-changing transaction methods, and even predictions for the next methods.”

“W-why would the Duke…”

After a moment of silence, Lynen glanced at the distant mountains.

“…Because I wanted to ease Calliphe’s concerns.”

“The young lady was concerned about illegal magical tools? But she seemed to be just playing around…”

“Anyway, that’s not what’s important.”

Lynen tapped one part of the document with his knuckles.

“The most recent contact method used alcohol. Next will be antiques meeting specific conditions.”

“If this is true, we could catch these guys all at once…!”

Moreover, the document contained detailed organizational charts, scale of operations, and information about nobles who had recently traded with them.

Information that only an insider could know.

Of course, it was Dovion’s information.

“This is from an internal whistleblower. Please understand that we cannot reveal their identity as we must guarantee their safety.”

“…This is ridiculous.”

Young Marquis Caiman, examining the documents, urgently raised his voice.

“We can’t move troops just based on this! When the informant’s identity is unclear, it’s natural that we can’t trust this either. At least without someone of verified identity guaranteeing it…!”

“Someone of verified identity, you say. As it happens, there’s someone I know among the illegal trading organization’s VIP customers.”

Calliphe said with a smile.

“Look at the last page. That guest has sworn on their honor that the information is accurate.”

“Guest…!”

Caiman hurriedly opened the last page of the document.

His eyes bulged as he recognized the scrawled signature there.

“Dietrich Rotten…?!”

“The illegal magical tool that failed to stop the magical beasts’ rampage. If Baron Rotten didn’t get it from the magic tower, where else could he have bought it… It’s obvious. From the illegal organization, right?”

“Did… Baron Rotten… confess that? To you?”

Caiman’s hands holding the documents trembled.

‘If I say yes, it would probably trouble Dietrich? Since Dietrich is Caiman’s subordinate.’

Calliphe answered firmly.

“Yes.”

“That’s impossible…!”

‘Of course, Dietrich wasn’t going to cooperate willingly.’

But he couldn’t resist.

This was because of the contract made with Dietrich. The one directly established when his butler visited, with Dietrich himself.

The main contents of the contract designating Calliphe and Dietrich as party A and party B respectively were as follows:

Party B shall do their best to fulfill Party A’s instructions within limits that do not infringe on their freedom and safety.

As long as this contract is valid, Party A must keep Party B’s secrets.

If either party fails to fulfill the contract, they shall provide part of their magical power as compensation.

Even though it was just part of their magical power, since no limit was set, one could die from depleting their magic if unlucky.

Even for a contract that would end in 6 months, it carried sufficient risk.

Nevertheless, Dietrich agreed to the contract.

‘Seems like he was planning to comply with most things from the start.’

Though that didn’t mean he became completely docile.

Anyway, that’s how she squeezed all the useful information out of Dietrich.

“Baron Rotten, a VIP of the illegal magical tool organization, testified. The organization always knew enforcement information one step ahead and avoided it in advance. That means…”

Calliphe looked at Caiman challengingly.

“There was an insider leaking information.”

“…You’re being too spiteful, young lady.”

Young Marquis Caiman twisted his lips.

“If you have evidence that I’m a traitor, bring it forward anytime.”

“The important thing right now isn’t evidence, Young Marquis.”

Trying to derail the point, are you.

Calliphe crossed her arms and said.

“What’s important is that you, the person in charge of this matter, didn’t know for months that information was leaking from the inside.”

This ultimately leads to doubt about Caiman’s competence.

“…Hmm.”

Indeed. The vassals also looked troubled.

And so.

“For Young Lord Caiman’s succession as head… 3 in favor, 3 against, 1 abstaining.”

Not a majority in favor.

It’s rejected in the end.

Caiman’s face contorted.

“Does everyone not see through this obvious scheme? This is the young lady’s vengeful plot against me!”

“But your failure cannot be denied, Young Marquis. We need time to reconsider this.”

“Kugh…!”

‘Perfect.’

Calliphe covered her wide smile with her fan.

This bought time until the next grand meeting.

‘Fortunately the Vice Archmage didn’t come.’

Calliphe glanced at an empty seat. It was Vice Archmage Marcel’s seat.

‘He suddenly came wanting to do a magical power verification.’

Since he was so excited, she had no choice but to do a quick magical power test with the simple kit right there.

The result showed gray, indicating a low level even among commoners.

Calliphe coldly rejected him when he said he would bring more precise tools to the grand meeting.

‘If I showed these results, everything I’ve said would be dismissed as ‘jealousy from someone incompatible with magic’!’

The chairman declared the end of the grand meeting.

“Then this concludes the grand meeting…”

That’s when it happened.

“Please wait a moment!”

Bang! 

Someone flung open the door.

It was Vice Archmage Marcel, holding a large crystal sphere-like device in both arms.