A Mastermind? No, I'm just the Live-In Son-in-Law-Chapter 33: The Declaration of Entry

Whitney, still gripping Lunelle’s arm just in case, muttered under his breath, prompting the nearby Saintess to glare at him with a look that said, “What nonsense are you spouting?”

“Would there even be a point in doing that?”

Unfazed, Whitney looked down at Bergen and calmly got to the point.

“Even if you watch that scene again and again, the fact that your daughter has been captured won’t change.”

“......”

“If anything, wouldn’t it only cause you more pain?”

At those words, Bergen, as if grasping onto consciousness by a miracle, asked in a trembling voice.

“...Do you... know who the ones holding my daughter are?”

“I thought you would’ve realized it by now.”

Whitney extended a hand as he responded, but Bergen remained silent, demanding a clear answer.

“You saw the brand of the black mages carved into your daughter, didn’t you?”

“Black mages...”

“That’s right. They’re the ones who staged the carriage accident and took everything from your life.”

When Whitney finally confirmed it, Bergen’s eyes changed.

“Mr. Bergen. I’m asking for your help precisely because I’m going to face those bastards.”

“......”

“Everyone here, including the Saintess, has gathered for that same purpose.”

Lunelle and Hestia, standing beside Whitney, exchanged glances at his words and then slowly nodded. But Bergen’s eyes remained fixed only on Whitney.

“You are the final piece of the puzzle in this great black mage organization.”

Only then did he realize that the boy in front of him was not an enemy, but an ally extending a hand.

“What... do you want me to do?”

“What I want to ask of you is, put simply, quite straightforward.”

Still not taking Whitney’s hand, Bergen asked again in a low voice. Whitney gave his trademark eye smile and began to explain.

“Revive that talent that once swept across the world, and gather the information I need.”

“...Anyone could do that.”

“Mr. Bergen, I believe hiring you alone is more valuable than buying out every intelligence guild in the Empire.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s not easy to find an agent with the ability to erase their presence and trace to the point of becoming undetectable.”

As Whitney laid out Bergen’s own abilities, Bergen unknowingly nodded in agreement. But a trace of doubt remained in his voice as he questioned again.

“Really... is that all I have to do?”

“Well, technically yes... but I have one more favor to ask.”

At that moment, Whitney narrowed his already-thin eyes even more, lowering his voice so only Bergen could hear him.

“...I need you to handle the things I can’t publicly get involved in.”

“......!”

“You see, I accidentally became a hero of the Empire against my will. Haha...”

It was a chilling suggestion—clearly asking him to dirty his hands in Whitney’s stead. Bergen closed his eyes in thought, then asked one final question.

“Just... one thing.”

“Yes?”

“Why are you going after the black mages?”

Whitney, crouched down, rested his chin in his palm and fell into thought.

“It’s a long story... but to summarize it simply.”

After some time passed, Whitney frowned slightly, then finally opened his mouth—and said exactly what Bergen had expected.

“If they run wild, the plans I’ve set in motion will fall apart.”

“......”

“For someone like me who only wants peace, that’d be a real problem.”

When Bergen saw the expression on Whitney’s face—far more wicked than any he’d made until now—he was certain: whatever Whitney’s “plan” was, it certainly wasn’t for world peace.

“That’s why I intend to support you fully. At the very least, you won’t need to worry about funding.”

“......”

“Oh, of course. That’s if you agree to my offer.”

But even closing his eyes couldn’t block out Whitney’s voice, laced with laughter as it reached his ears.

“Will you take my hand, Bergen?”

And still echoing in his mind was the faint, dying voice of his daughter—her tear-streaked face haunting him.

“...There’s no fool who’d pass up a chance like this.”

“Ahaha... excellent.”

In truth, Bergen never had a choice.

“I look forward to working with you, Mr. Bergen.”

“......”

“For reference, communications and task assignments will go through Head Butler Alfred until his retirement. Make sure to say hello before you leave.”

And so, Bergen took Whitney’s hand and rose from his seat, staggering as he followed him out of the office.

‘...Well, whatever happens to the world isn’t my business.’

Letting out a deep sigh, Bergen turned toward the butler waiting outside, just as Whitney had said, with a smirk forming at his lips.

‘As long as I can get Lily back...’

“It’s been a while.”

“......!”

As soon as he recognized the face of the old butler who extended a handshake and spoke, Bergen was forced to reconsider that thought.

“I’ll skip the pleasantries. We’re not the kind of people who exchange such things, are we?”

This was a man who had once driven Bergen to the brink, even among the countless nations and organizations he had faced. And now, that man wore a cold smile.

“So, what did our young master say? Isn’t he such a kind soul?”

“Why are you here...?”

“Haah. I really didn’t want to be the one to say this, but...”

As Bergen instinctively took a half-step back and barely managed to get the question out, the old man—now known as Alfred—sighed and answered.

“...There’s a saying in our household: curiosity killed the cat.”

And with those words, Bergen gave up on any further rational deduction and began to accept the reality before him.

“Now, stop talking and come with me. I’ll explain the mission the young master entrusted to you.”

‘At this rate, I’ll probably end up meeting someone from the Imperial family, too.’

Aside from the fact that he still tried to judge Whitney by common standards, his attitude was undeniably excellent for someone who was about to become an executive.

***

Thus, time passed, and at dawn the next day after Bergen took Whitney’s hand—

A nameless inn, one of the shabbiest in the underworld.

—Creeeak...

As the door opened, the woman behind the counter—tidying up with a weary face—lifted her head and muttered with a mildly surprised expression.

“...Huh, what the hell?”

“......”

“Am I seeing things right now?”

Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.

It was because the man she had thrown out of the inn a few days ago, {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Bergen, was walking toward the counter looking impossibly clean and well-kept.

“What are you doing here? Don’t tell me you’re back to borrow cigarettes again?”

She rubbed her eyes and stared, scrutinizing him repeatedly before narrowing her eyes and interrogating him.

“No, I mean—looking that neat and tidy out of nowhere... did you come to leave a last will or something? I hate that kind of stuff.”

But Bergen, who had silently walked up to the counter, said nothing in response. Instead, he pulled a leather pouch from inside his coat and set it down.

“...Back rent I owe you.”

“Huh?”

“I stuffed in as much as I could, so it shouldn’t come up short.”

Staring at it in surprise, the woman muttered to herself in disbelief.

“...Gods, you really are settling your affairs, aren’t you?”

Bergen let out a dry chuckle and asked in a subdued voice.

“Do I really look like that kind of man to you?”

“I know, I’m joking. You didn’t have the eyes of a man ready to die when you walked in.”

She chuckled back, taking the leather pouch, and soon turned serious.

“Did you find some kind of lead?”

“...Black mages.”

Bergen let out a quiet sigh and answered, his face darkening.

“Those bastards kidnapped my daughter... and were experimenting on her.”

“Oh, no...”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“I heard rumors they’re gathering the gifted to resurrect the Demon King or whatever. Not my concern.”

Though his tone remained calm, his voice was laced with unmistakable murderous intent.

“What matters is—I finally found the one who killed my wife and kidnapped my daughter.”

“Then...”

“Of course I’ll make them pay. In my own way.”

As he finished speaking, Bergen pulled out the lighter he had recently acquired, lit his cigarette, and took a drag. The woman behind the counter, who had been listening silently, gave a cynical smile.

“...So, in the end, it’s basically a suicide mission.”

“Hah, maybe.”

Setting the ashtray she handed him on the table, Bergen inhaled the smoke and looked out the window.

“But it’s worth a shot.”

“Why, did someone agree to help you or something?”

“...Surprisingly, yes. I met someone who shares my goal.”

As if the moonlight filtering through the window reminded him of someone, Bergen gave a visible shiver and continued in a low voice.

“He’s the one who told me where my daughter was, actually.”

“There’s someone with better intel than you out there?”

“Exactly. Honestly, I still can’t believe it...”

As smoke drifted from his lips, a subtle tangle of emotion flickered in his eyes.

“...But the evidence was just too clear.”

After his words ended, a long silence followed. The woman stood from the counter and asked quietly.

“So, you’re officially coming back?”

“Yeah. Looks like I’ll be depending on you again.”

“Ha, how long has it been?”

She pulled a lever under the counter table. At once, the sound of gears turning echoed faintly—and before long, from various hidden drawers below the table, finely crafted infiltration gear emerged, shining faintly under the moonlight.

“Will this really be okay? You know my equipment’s not cheap.”

“...Can’t be helped. I took cheap gear to the mansion of the bastard who hired me and nearly got killed for it.”

“Pfft. You? What, your skills got rusty?”

As she shed her fake identity as a mere innkeeper and revealed herself as the top craftsman of the underworld, she laughed and teased Bergen.

“That place... was a demonic fortress.”

But Bergen’s face remained deadly serious as he began recounting what had happened not long ago.

“A damn kid predicted the exact time I’d break in, and the knight escort tracked my every move and nearly caught me...”

“You, who slipped in and out of the Imperial Palace? You got done like that?”

“Don’t even ask. And the bastard who hired me—...no, forget it.”

“Hey, don’t just stop talking like that!”

When Bergen suddenly trailed off with a fed-up expression, the woman urged him, and he ground out his cigarette in the ashtray and continued.

“...He’s got one of the former underworld bosses working under him.”

“...What the hell.”

“He’s a terrifying guy. The whole time I was dealing with him, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was just a piece on some grand game board.”

“You sure it’s safe working with someone like that?”

She looked at him with concern, but Bergen simply rummaged through the drawers, inspecting the gear.

“If someone like that wasn’t backing me, I’d be the one in trouble.”

He picked up a worn black cloak and mask, his fingers lingering for a moment. Then he murmured with a cold smile.

“And since when have I ever cared about safety when taking a job?”

“Okay, okay. So how much gear are you buying?”

“All of it. Upfront payment.”

“...Damn.”

He pulled out a second leather pouch from inside his coat.

“Feels a little weird... this is the first time I’ve had a stable employer.”

The legendary phantom thief once hunted by the world’s wealthiest had returned—in full, flamboyant form.

***

“...Young Master, Bergen’s report has arrived.”

“Hmm? Already?”

Thanks to Lady Hestia inexplicably using her Saintess powers, I’d successfully recruited Bergen—and at last, I’d completed the dream team I’d envisioned from the beginning.

Though I had spent over half of the savings I’d hoarded since childhood to cover his operational expenses, I had no doubt it was a worthwhile investment.

‘...The quality of intel is already on another level.’

I had just received his first coded report from Alfred—and inside was a detailed list of personal information on the participants in the upcoming Rookie Selection Tournament.

“Parsha, could you take a look at this with me?”

Figuring it’d be better to analyze this kind of high-grade intel together rather than alone, I spoke to Parsha, who had lately taken to remaining steadfastly at my right side.

“......”

“...Parsha?”

“...Hah.”

For some reason, she was spacing out unlike usual. Only when I lightly tapped her shoulder did she startle and return to her senses.

“...Ah, the list of participants in the Rookie Selection, right!”

“Parsha, are you alright?”

“I’ll analyze it right away!”

Rubbing her shoulder briefly, Parsha returned to her usual spirited tone, and though I still wore a worried look, I refrained from saying more—she had already buried her head into the documents.

“Ahem. Young Master, that’s not all.”

Still watching her carefully in case she was overexerting herself, I turned at Alfred’s cough.

“You’ll want to see this, too.”

I took the second report from Bergen that he handed me.

「Aside from the existing listed participants, the Academy is recruiting one candidate to replace a disqualified cheater. I’ve acquired the list of applicants and attached it.」

“...Ah.”

I barely had time to marvel at his competence before my face hardened in silence.

「Also... is this part of your plan too?」

Because the name written at the top of the attached list, marked with a star and a note, was one far too familiar to me.

“Seems the young lady plans to participate as well.”

“...Cecil.”

There was no way it could be a coincidence. Not just the name, but the family name matched as well. There was no doubt—it was the name of my proud little sister.