I'm not a Witcher anymore.

Chapter 181 Conspiracy

One day later.

The sun, like a red-hot iron coin, slowly sank behind the undulating black ridges of Bohemia.

As the last crimson rays of sunlight were swallowed by the night, the air in the forest began to grow damp and cold.

The snapping of dry branches under the horses' hooves sounded particularly crisp on the quiet forest path, and occasionally, the unsettling cries of owls could be heard in the distance.

"Let's spend the night in this clearing in the woods. Further ahead, we'll find nothing but tree roots that can break a horse's leg in the dark."

Zieg gently pulled on the reins.

His tall, black warhorse snorted and came to a docile halt.

Despite a whole day of bumpy riding, the young duke showed no signs of fatigue.

At this command, the entire squad immediately sprang into action like a precise clock.

Henry swiftly unloaded the baggage from the horse's back.

Hinek and Matos skillfully cleared a firebreak with short axes and piled up a heap of dry branches in the middle.

Before long, with the crisp sound of the flint striking the stone, orange flames leaped up merrily, dispelling the oppressive chill and bringing with them the unique aroma of burning pine resin.

Meanwhile, on the outermost edge of the camp, Captain Robard was patrolling with a dozen or so cavalrymen from Talmuburg.

In stark contrast to this tense and orderly busyness was the young master of Lathai.

"Oh my God, my back is killing me!"

Hans Capon slid off his horse, even stumbling as he landed. He grimaced and rubbed his inner thigh, which was chafed raw by the saddle, complaining like a spoiled child.

"This damn road is like it was paved with stones by the devil. It's so bumpy, I feel like my insides are dancing."

He glanced at Henry and the others who were busy, clearly not intending to do anything himself.

This young master, who had been pampered since childhood, looked around and finally fixed his gaze on one of the cavalrymen under Captain Robard.

"Hey! You over there! Yes, you, the guy with the bulbous nose!"

Hans Capon beckoned to me without any politeness, his tone carrying an innate arrogance and self-righteousness. "With so many people watching, your absence won't make a difference. Come here and help me take off this damn tin can. This breastplate is so tight I can barely breathe; even a chastity belt wouldn't be this tight!"

The cavalryman paused for a moment, then subconsciously glanced at Captain Robard in the distance.

Seeing that the captain did not object, he reluctantly dismounted and walked over to unfasten the leather buckles on the shoulder armor and breastplate of the pampered young master.

As the heavy plate armor clattered onto the grass, Hans Capon let out a long sigh of relief.

He stretched his stiff neck and felt like he had finally come back to life.

Only then did he have the mind to pay attention to other things.

He plopped down on the rugged log, took the piece of hard bread and a pitcher of water that Henry offered, but didn't eat it right away.

He turned his head and looked at Zig, who was sitting opposite the fire, taking out alchemical equipment from his saddlebag and mixing potions.

The firelight illuminated Zieg's handsome face, giving his features a golden-red rim and making him appear even more unfathomable.

Hans Capon chewed on a piece of dry, hard bread, the unpleasant texture making him frown, but he swallowed it anyway.

"I said—Your Highness the Duke."

Hans couldn't help but speak up, his eyes, which always carried a hint of cynicism, now gleaming with an undisguised curiosity and confusion.

He pointed to the small group of about twenty men, then to the direction of Trostsky, which was shrouded in darkness in the distance, his tone tinged with disbelief: "Von Polgao has built a fortified position in Trostsky, and you think you can take that fortress that even the devil couldn't breach with just twenty-odd swords and twenty-odd exhausted horses? How exactly do you plan to take it?"

Zieg smiled at Hans Carpenter's bewildered and curious gaze.

"Now that we're all sitting around the same fire, sharing the same hard bread, there's no need for me to keep some things hidden away like I'm hoarding money."

"Hans, as you said, Troski Castle is a monster clad in rock armor. If this monster only had this one hard shell, it would indeed be invincible. But unfortunately, this monster has swallowed a hard bone that it cannot digest."

Young Master Capone blinked, the undigested piece of bread making his voice muffled: "A tough nut to crack? You mean—"

"The Semi family."

Zig whispered the name, then stretched out a hand and pointed in a certain direction under the dark night sky.

"On this land of Trostsky, long before the name of Otto von Porgogh was established, the flag of the Semi family was already flying over that land."

"They are not newcomers brought by Borgo. The Semi family has been rooted there for generations. They may have started as swordsmen who wielded armor and spears for the great lord, but through merit and loyalty, they gradually earned their own land, manor, and the right to be called lords."

"And what about Otto von Polgár? He's only been here for four or five years. To this land, he's more like a rude intruder, a new owner who bought the key with money and a contract."

Hans Capon was a clever man, and as the heir to the Lathai dynasty, he had a natural sensitivity to these delicate relationships among the nobility.

He nodded thoughtfully: "I understand—it's like an old wolf that has lived in the forest for decades, suddenly being told that its territory now belongs to a guard dog that has just come from out of town. That's certainly unbearable."

"It's not just unbearable."

Siegfried shook his head and corrected him, "In order to secure von Polgar as a new thorn in his side, Sigismund did something extremely foolish: he forcibly made the Semi family vassals of Polgar. He tried to put a collar on that proud old wolf and hand the leash to that new watchdog."

"For a family like Semi's, this humiliation is worse than death. The young lord of that family prays to God every day, hoping that one day he can personally pierce the heart of von Polgár."

The light in Capone's eyes grew brighter and brighter. He slapped his thigh, his excitement momentarily making him forget the fatigue of riding: "This is simply the most exciting revenge drama ever! That young master Semi is our ally within Troski! So—"

—”

He turned to look at Zig, his tone tinged with eager confirmation: "We're going to that Semi Manor now, right? To hand that young master a knife?"

"Not only that."

Zieg nodded, his expression remaining calm. "As far as I know, the young master of the Semi family will be getting married in a few weeks. It will be a grand banquet, and people are often most willing to open their doors to unfamiliar guests during such joyous occasions."

He looked at Hans, his eyes gentle: "We will visit the Semi family in your name, heir to the Lord of Rattay, young master Hans Capon. We will bring a generous gift to congratulate the young man on his wedding."

"Ha! I knew it!"

Hans Capon whistled triumphantly, but the next second, his smile froze on his face.

He seemed to suddenly realize something was wrong, and his eyes widened as he stared at Zieg: "Wait—in my name? With my name?"

The young lord pointed to his own nose, then to the duke before him, whose bearing and prestige far surpassed his own. His face was filled with astonishment and disbelief: "Your Highness, are you joking? Why use my name? You are the Duke of Görlitz, the one everyone reveres! Shouldn't you be the one leading me in?"

Sieg simply smiled at Hans's astonishment.

He stood up and added a dry branch to the fire.

As sparks flew, he turned around and bowed slightly to the young Lord Ratai.

"Precisely because I am that 'big shot,' I cannot stand in the open."

Zieg's calm eyes reflected Hans Capone's panicked face, his voice gentle yet undeniable: "Sometimes, the hunter needs to hide in the shadow of the hound to see where the prey's throat is."

He lightly brushed the dust off his sleeve and said with a smile, "Don't worry, young master Capone. From now on, until this play is over—I am merely your servant."