I Was Reincarnated As The Older Brother Of A Villainess Destined to Die, So I Want To Change The Future By Raising My Younger Sister With My Own Hands. I Am The Strongest In The World, But My Little Sister Must Be The Cutest In The World - Volume 3 Chapter 3.5

In the game, Nina’s cause of death was excessive violence leading to severe blood loss. As I mentioned before, if I hadn’t intervened, she would have been purchased by a monotheistic noble and subjected to all sorts of humiliation before eventually dying.

That noble who committed the acts of violence was none other than Count Putepe. Unlike typical monotheistic nobles, he was a perverted individual who derived pleasure from beating beastmen. The game revealed that not only Nina but other beastmen also suffered at his hands.

When I took Nina under my care, I had already conducted thorough research on Count Putepe. It was a natural course of action since I aimed to change her fate of death. In some cases, I even considered eliminating him. Count Putepe was just a minor figure within the monotheistic faction, unlike the palace factions, making it relatively easy to handle him.

However, the results of my investigation at that time were surprising.

You see, he turned out to be a different person. The Count Putepe in the game was a chubby man in his mid-twenties, whereas the real-life Count Putepe was a medium-built young man. Although their facial features were similar, they were definitely not the same person.

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the game’s Count Putepe was the brother of the current count in reality. It seems that my intervention had unintended consequences, resulting in a change in the successor.

Well, even if he didn’t inherit the title, his brother remained a dangerous individual who was mercilessly killing beastman slaves behind the scenes. So I took care of him swiftly, arranging for his “accidental” death. Fortunately, it appeared that the current Count Putepe had a strained relationship with his brother, so it didn’t escalate into a major problem.

“??But it should have been,” I whispered softly.

Upon receiving the report from my intelligence agent, I immediately made my way to Foranada.

It seemed I had traveled quite swiftly, as Count Putepe had already arrived in the capital. He was going through the procedures at the city gate, disguised among the commoners.

Naturally, the count standing before me was not the person responsible for Nina’s cause of death. He was his younger brother.

He was accompanied by what seemed to be his subordinates as they entered the streets of the city.

What on earth had brought him to Foranada?

While for other nobles, one might assume it to be a secret trip, when it came to that Count Putepe, I couldn’t help but entertain various suspicions. Even though he was a different person from the one in the game, I couldn’t completely set my mind at ease.

Considering the possibility of a decoy, I instructed his subordinates to attend to other security matters. As for myself, I began trailing the count and his entourage.

There was no reason to restrain them since they hadn’t done anything suspicious. I thought about inviting them to the castle and detaining them there, but that wouldn’t reveal the count’s intentions, so it wasn’t an effective approach. Besides, Zex was currently in Loralmbel, so Orca would be the one dealing with them. As capable as he was, extracting information from active nobles would be challenging.

Although we were playing catch-up, there was no choice but to let the count and his group swim freely. Thanks to my detection abilities, the chances of losing sight of them were virtually nonexistent, ensuring our safety. I needed to remain composed and carry out the mission.

Initially, they behaved like regular tourists. The conversations exchanged were unremarkable and harmless.

However, after an hour, they finally began to act suspiciously. Suddenly, all of them locked eyes for a moment and then scattered, walking in different directions.

If they were ordinary commoners, it could be considered free movement. But they were different. The subordinates wouldn’t just leave their master to wander alone. I apologize for the irony, but in my case, it’s an extraordinary exception, so please bear with it.

Let’s get back on track.

The count and his subordinates numbered five in total. It was physically impossible to monitor all of them. While my detection abilities allowed me to grasp their general movements and positions, visual confirmation provided more accurate information.

For the same reasons, I couldn’t use my [Doppelganger] ability. It bestows a magical template onto a thought process, which lacks adaptability.
In short, monitoring alone has reached its limit. I have to focus on the target and leave the rest to my subordinates. Although it means reducing the security presence, there’s no other choice.

The main focus of my surveillance is, of course, Count Putepe. He is the most suspicious, so I’ll prioritize him over the others.

Just to ensure that no unexpected important figures are involved, I have already thoroughly investigated everyone’s background using [Appraisal]. It has been confirmed that everyone, except for the count, is nothing more than ordinary knights.

Maintaining a certain distance, I continue to follow behind Count Putepe. He constantly scans his surroundings and his behavior is suspicious even without observing the significant magical fluctuations. It’s understandable for a noble, but he lacks any semblance of stealth.

From this perspective alone, I can’t help but wonder, “Was I overly concerned?” However, I’m curious to see how things will unfold.

The count continues to move forward with an unsteady gait. Starting from the bustling center, he gradually makes his way towards the outskirts.

“There’s no doubt about it,” I mutter.

After walking for a while, I am confident in the count’s destination.

Letting out a sigh, I quietly activate [Otherworldly Realm: Baure de Tesoro]. The surroundings are enveloped in a curtain of magic, isolating me and Count Putepe from the world. It seems unnecessary to replicate the scenery, so a pure white landscape spreads out before us.

Startled by the sudden abnormal situation, the count is bewildered. Before him, I leap forward in the form of Six.

“Count Putepe.”

“W-Who are you!?”

It seems he knows who I am. …Of course he does. It’s only natural. I’ve undoubtedly conducted that level of research. I am expected to be his biggest obstacle, after all.

Based on the count’s trajectory, I can make a rough guess. The path ahead leads to the house where Nina lives. As I initially feared, the object of Count Pteppic’s target is Nina.

I don’t know why he knows Nina or why he is after her. But it’s certain that his intentions are not good. If he had a valid reason, he wouldn’t sneak into the capital and display such unnatural agitation.

I have a bad feeling about this. The fact that he is taking action in place of his deceased brother, a situation unrelated to the original game, is extremely unsettling. My instincts were whispering that I should know about his past and experiences.

In times like these, it’s best to follow my intuition, based on both my current and past life experiences.

Since I can’t leave [Otherworldly Realm: Baure de Tesoro], I decide to attempt a conversation rather than immediately eliminating him without question.