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Chapter 52
While engaging with the nobles on the first floor of the banquet hall, Louise made sure to never stray far from Hamilton Lesias.
Kate Trevis had claimed she had seen it.
The moment Luca Rogers killed Hamilton Lesias and buried him in the ground.
But the supposedly deceased Hamilton Lesias was now attending Miriam’s coming-of-age celebration, laughing and chatting cheerfully with the nobles.
‘How on earth…?’
He couldn’t believe it.
How could someone who had died come back to life?
Emily—the woman who had bewitched Luca Rogers.
No matter how hard they searched, she couldn’t be found.
She was the very one who had manipulated both Luca Rogers and Hamilton Lesias, making Luca kill Hamilton.
‘Just how far ahead did Ren foresee all this?’
Louise was starting to feel genuine admiration for Ren, who had predicted this entire situation based only on a few words passed along by Cohen and Layton.
He had instantly deduced the nature of the relationship between Hamilton and Luca and surmised that the black mage Emily was behind it all.
And today, Ren believed that black mage would make their move.
Seeing “Hamilton Lesias” walk around the banquet hall like nothing had happened made goosebumps rise on his arms.
‘Ren said it too—one cannot simply bring the dead back to life. If that’s the case, then that must be an imposter wearing Hamilton Lesias’s face…’
How could he unmask that disguise?
And for what reason would someone come all the way here like that?
-If I were them, I’d attend the banquet and carry out an assassination—maybe even target the a bishop from the Holy Kingdom…”
-What are you saying?
-If they can disguise themselves, even better. They could transform into someone they hate, kill a high-ranking official from the Holy Kingdom, and since it would have occurred within the Brillant Kingdom, the blame would fall on us. And it would sour relations between the Holy Kingdom and the one they impersonated. A bishop dying? That would be the end of it.
-Huh… Isn’t that a bit extreme?
-Not at all. It’s hard even for high-ranking knights to assassinate an archbishop, so if I were a black mage, I’d aim for a bishop instead.
The conversation with Ren suddenly flashed through his mind.
He had thought it was a far-fetched theory—but now, seeing that "Hamilton," the idea no longer felt so unlikely.
‘A bishop… a bishop…’
Only four bishops who oversaw various dioceses within the Brillant Kingdom were in attendance.
Two of them were on the first floor.
Bishop Dennis, who managed the church in the capital city of Brillant, and Bishop Thomas, who oversaw the church in Dusk, a bit farther out.
If Hamilton was targeting a bishop, it would be one of these two.
‘Who is it…’
Dennis was conversing with Brother Rev beside the Archbishop, while Thomas was chatting casually with noble ladies in one corner.
“Your Highness the Third Prince, what has you so deep in thought?”
“Indeed, you seem troubled. You keep glancing in that direction… Could it be that you wish to build a friendship with Lord Lesias? If so, I could—”
“No, no. I was just worried about my younger sibling… Haha. But thank you for your concern.”
“Ah, I see. It’s always nice to see someone who cares for their family.”
“Thank you.”
While continuing to engage with the nobles, Louise tried his best to inconspicuously keep an eye on Lesias.
It was far more exhausting than training with a sword all day.
Seeing his brother Rev handle the nobles so smoothly, and Allan converse with ease, he could only feel admiration.
“Lord Hamilton, where are you going?”
“Oh, just heading over there to say hello to someone.”
Louise’s ears perked up.
Without turning his head or drawing attention, she shifted his eyes subtly in his direction.
Hamilton was heading toward where Bishop Thomas stood.
‘Is he really targeting Thomas?’
His heart began to pound loudly in his chest.
What should he do?
If he followed Hamilton directly, it would be the same as openly declaring his suspicion.
He needed to approach Bishop Thomas naturally, without alerting Hamilton.
‘How should I do it…?’
Just then, Miriam began to walk toward Thomas, seemingly to greet him.
Miriam’s gaze briefly met Louise’s.
Their eyes locked for a moment, and Miriam gave her a gentle smile.
‘That’s it.’
Louise told those near him that he was going to greet his younger sibling and quietly left his spot.
Hamilton was already quite close to Thomas.
Meanwhile, Louise had to walk about ten more paces to reach them.
He quickened his steps, but tried to remain calm and composed.
Other people’s gazes didn’t matter.
As long as Hamilton didn’t realize he was following him, it would be fine.
‘Please, please…’
If Hamilton attempted an assassination the moment he reached Thomas, there would be no stopping it.
He was too far away to intercept in time.
But if he could just get a little closer…
‘No!’
Thomas was turned away, talking to someone else, while Hamilton moved closer, slipping a hand into his coat.
The others around them seemed preoccupied with their own affairs.
What was in that coat pocket?
A weapon for murder?
Or something as harmless as a handkerchief?
“Oh my, isn’t that Bishop Thomas?”
At that moment, Miriam’s cheerful voice called out to Thomas, who turned to face her.
Hamilton, who had been slightly leaning forward, straightened his posture again.
Thomas’s gaze passed over the approaching Hamilton and turned to Miriam.
Hamilton pulled a handkerchief from his coat, dabbed his lips with it, and returned it inside.
“Your Highness the Third Princess, you know who I am?”
“Of course. You oversee the church in Dusk, don’t you? Hehe.”
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“Haha, what an honor. I had heard Princess Miriam had little interest in worldly affairs, but it seems that was a false rumor.”
“Hehe… Of course not. The bishops of the Holy Kingdom are such a great support to our kingdom. How could I not be interested? Oh—Lord Hamilton?”
Hamilton greeted her with an awkward smile.
“Congratulations on your coming of age, Your Highness the Third Princess.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m Thomas, in charge of the Dusk diocese.”
“I'm Hamilton Lesias.”
Hamilton grinned as he extended his hand.
Thomas took it.
Just then, Thomas’s gaze shifted over Hamilton’s shoulder, prompting Hamilton to turn around.
It was Louise.
“There you are, Miriam. How’s the banquet?”
“I’m enjoying it, Brother.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Louise turned his head to look at Thomas and Hamilton.
“Thank you for coming, Bishop Thomas. Sir Hamilton Lesias.”
“The honor is mine, Your Highness, the Third Prince.”
“You seemed to be having pleasant conversations elsewhere. What brings you here?”
At Hamilton’s words, Thomas looked startled, and Miriam’s expression hardened.
Louise forced a calm expression and smiled.
“Ha ha, I was just worried about how my sister was doing.”
“...Prince Louise, your boldness has grown, hasn't it?”
“Has it? I’ll take that as a compliment.”
The mood suddenly grew heavy.
Tension rose as sharp glares crossed between Louise and Hamilton.
‘Nothing good will come from clashing like this.’
It was already known that Hamilton held disdain for the royal family of Heretia.
But if that man was not just Hamilton, but a black mage, then there was no reason to confront him so directly.
‘Didn’t he try to kill Thomas?’
“I’ve made my appearance, so I’ll be on my way. I have a headache.”
Hamilton smiled, leaned in close to Thomas’s ear, whispered something inaudible, and then began to leave.
As Hamilton walked across the center of the banquet hall, Thomas suddenly rushed after him, grabbing his arm and spinning him around to seize him by the collar.
“HAMILTON!!”
At the thunderous shout, everyone in the hall turned to look at Thomas.
Hamilton Lesias, whose face had been full of arrogance, twisted his expression like a demon and pulled something from his coat.
‘No!’
The chandelier light reflected off the blade glinting from within his coat, catching the surrounding eyes.
Shing—!
Slash!
Sensing the danger, Louise darted forward and yanked Thomas back.
‘Damn it!’
They were too close to avoid it.
The dagger sliced across Thomas’s chest, scattering blood.
Hamilton’s face contorted with rage, and the kingdom’s knights drew their swords and pointed them at him.
“Kuhuk!”
Coughing up blood, Thomas collapsed to the floor.
Thanks to Louise, it wasn’t an instant death.
Had he died, even the Pope couldn’t have saved him, but as long as he was alive, there was hope.
The Archbishop was here.
“Bishop Thomas!”
Mel Watts, the Archbishop who had been speaking with the First Prince, immediately activated his holy power and poured it into the fallen Thomas.
The gushing blood stopped like a dammed stream, and his wound began to heal rapidly.
‘So this is the power of an Archbishop.’
The ability to instantly heal a wound that might have killed him if even a few seconds later—no matter how many times one saw it, it was astonishing.
‘We avoided the worst.’
If Bishop Thomas had died here, even though Hamilton Lesias, an envoy from the Baran Empire, had wielded the weapon, the Brillant royal family who hosted this banquet would not have escaped responsibility.
The Holy Kingdom, proud of establishing churches throughout the continent and sending their clergy, is extremely sensitive about the safety of their clerics.
Especially for those ranked bishop and above—there is no mercy from the Pope.
After today, the Lesias family would likely be forever banned from setting foot in any church, and their influence within the Empire would diminish.
Now strained relations with the Holy Kingdom would follow.
“Your Highness, the Third Prince, thank you for saving Bishop Thomas.”
“It’s nothing. But shouldn’t we now hold this man accountable for his crimes?”
Louise raised his sword and pointed it at Hamilton.
Hamilton continued to stand confidently, grinning.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Bishop Thomas was the one who came at me first.”
“Bishop Thomas didn’t attack you.”
“I felt threatened. Isn’t that enough? If not, let me say one more thing.”
Hamilton glared down at Thomas, who lay on the ground gasping for breath.
“Bishop Thomas is in love. With a woman named Emily, whom I gave my everything to until recently! That bishop of the church tried to steal her from me!”
At the shocking revelation, the nobles started murmuring in alarm, and the Archbishop’s expression hardened with fury.
“What the hell is going on?”
Louise couldn’t bring himself to order Hamilton’s arrest.
Because the Archbishop had reacted to Hamilton’s words.
There is a law that all clerics affiliated with the Church of the Holy Kingdom must follow:
Do not engage in romantic or sexual relationships.
That is one of the church’s absolute commandments, given by God.
For lower-ranking clergy like high priests or regular priests, breaking this law results in the loss of all holy power and expulsion from the church.
But for bishops and above, punishment is enacted.
Hamilton was banking on that, hence his confidence.
“Bishop Thomas fell in love. And not just a little! He was madly in love! With my Emily! A bishop of the church tried to steal her!”
The nobles stirred with greater agitation, and the Archbishop, now publicly humiliated, ground his teeth in silence.
“That matter will be addressed later, Hamilton Lesias. Regardless of Bishop Thomas’s sin, you tried to kill one of our clergy.”
“Ridiculous. It was self-defense.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
Mel, struggling to maintain his composure, shot a fierce look at the knights.
“What are you waiting for? Arrest this criminal at once!”
Startled, the knights moved, and Louise added sharply:
“Seize this criminal who dared cause chaos in the royal castle!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The knights rushed in as Hamilton drew his sword in response.
Clang!!
Slash!
A black aura surged from his blade, cutting through one knight’s neck in a flash.
“Kyahhh!”
“What the hell?!”
Screams and shouts erupted, turning the banquet hall into a battlefield in an instant.
“You church idiots really don’t know how to listen.”
Hamilton muttered in irritation, black energy gleaming in his eyes like a demon.
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