Chapter 48
It was all thanks to Gaius’s simplicity.
Only after confirming that a few knights he had brought were riding off towards Delgain did I finally call out to Gaius.
“O noble blood.”
“You know who I am?”
Gaius preferred to be addressed as the fourth prince rather than as the Special Inspector.
For that reason, he wore garments far too extravagant for someone in his position. While not flashy, anyone with a discerning eye would recognize his attire as the work of designer Tiamo. He also wore a lush wig to give the illusion of a full head of hair.
“Even just the pure white flag hanging over the humble walls of Hebron and Your Highness’s noble attire were enough to reveal your lineage from His Majesty Xenon.”
Gaius’s expression softened. The twenty-two year old, brimming with youthful energy, welcomed anyone who acknowledged his status.
“Do you have something to say to me?”
“The cave where the Sardia people were hiding… turned out to be a dungeon.”
“A dungeon?”
“Yes, a dungeon teeming with ghouls. They had sealed off the dungeon entrance and were living in a hideout.”
“Ghouls! You mean those hideous undead creatures?”
“That’s right. From what I surmise, they were attempting to raise an army of undead to rebel. When I raided their hideout, they tried to kill me with poison, most likely to delay the discovery of their facility as much as possible.”
Gaius’s eyes flickered. He appeared to be thinking things through. He wasn’t completely dim-witted, so he picked up on the implication in my words.
“Delay it… You mean they still have something to hide?”
“Yes. I don’t know the full extent of their schemes, but unfortunately, a few remnants seem to have escaped. I couldn't handle their escape alone.”
“That’s understandable. Even dismantling such a dangerous organization by yourself and bringing back this much evidence is an immense achievement. I heard you can command a mid-tier fire spirit, seems that was no exaggeration. In such chaotic times, it’s heartening to meet a loyal subject like you.”
“There is more I wish to tell Your Highness.”
“Speak freely.”
I glanced around before lowering my voice.
“I will escort you to the manor.”
Gaius and I met privately in the study.
Two royal knights stood behind him.
‘As expected, a prince’s guards are something else.’
Even if I went all out, I wasn't sure I could kill both of them. One, maybe. But the other would probably escape.
Still, if both came at me with all they had, I might just be able to win.
On the ride back from the dungeon to Hebron, I had built up a narrative in my mind, a story that would absolve me of any suspicion of treason, while placing the surrounding lords in a precarious position.
“House Sardia promoted <Republicanism>, aiming to divide the king’s power and return it to the people.”
“Wh-What nonsense is that?!”
“This is the evidence.”
I handed him a book I had taken from their hideout <Republicanism: A Republic Belongs to Its People>.
But his reaction was unexpected.
“Th-This still exists!”
Gaius stared at me in shock.
He had just realized he’d let something slip.
‘So the once-mighty House Sardia collapsed overnight because of republicanism?’
The Ducal House held power second only to the royal family.
No matter how strong the monarchy, toppling a ducal house overnight was no easy feat. And behind that feat stood republicanism.
Unlike feudalism, which concentrated power in the hands of kings and nobles, republicanism was a system that sought to distribute equal power among all people. It was a dangerous ideology, one that threatened not just royal authority, but noble privilege as well.
‘No… there must be something I don’t know. Based on what I’ve learned so far, it doesn’t make sense that House Sardia would willingly give up their power for republicanism.’
Regardless of the truth, any remaining traces of House Sardia and their republicanism would be wiped away.
All because of my silver tongue.
“They raised undead in the dungeon, intending to use them to overthrow royal authority. When I began investigating after sensing something was amiss, House Sardia sent assassins after me. One of those involved in the assassination attempt was Spiel, a vassal of Baron Delgain. Spiel is of Sardia bloodline and bears the brand of the curse.”
In truth, House Sardia had nothing to do with the undead. They had been sharpening their swords, dreaming of revenge, but those swords were duller than a kitchen knife.
“I’ve confirmed the body of the assassin. I’ve also uncovered the true identity of Spiel. If not for you, the remnants of Sardia might have sunk their claws deep into Xenon. You have done us a great service.”
From there, I continued spinning my tale with a mix of speculation and imagination.
“Baron Delgain knowingly took Spiel in. Viscount Slein dispatched soldiers to Delgain, intending to attack Hebron. And the chief mage of House Breio, Pakus, was betrothed to the daughter of House Slein, but I believe he broke off the engagement after sensing their suspicious behavior.”
It was a story constructed from truths.
Each faction had its own interests, so they'd try to cut ties to protect themselves. Among them, the most powerful, House Breio, would naturally throw House Slein under the bus. Perhaps even the Duke himself would cast out Pakus.
They’d all cry injustice, but proving their innocence would be near impossible. The more this story spread, the worse it would become for them. And if any of them made a clumsy rebuttal, they’d face the wrath of the king himself.
‘King Xenon is weak-hearted, but that makes him all the more dangerous. He won’t tolerate even the smallest threat to the royal authority. Rather than calculating gain or loss, he’s the type to simply erase the problem. In that sense, he’s quite similar to Special Inspector Gaius.’
I had once been given the opportunity to speak with the king. But more than that, I had heard plenty of rumors while at House Breio. King Xenon was known for his extreme temper. He also saw nobles as mere tools of power.
“There's no way that fox Breio didn’t know about this! He must have known and tried to cover it up!”
From Gaius’s reaction alone, I could infer the nature of the relationship between the royal family and House Breio. They kept each other in check, while also desperately needing one another.
At present, it would be a disaster for either side to collapse.
“It would be wise to reprimand Mage Pakus and thereby reinforce the authority of the King.”
“Of course. I’ll take this opportunity to put the arrogant House Breio in its place!”
Gaius clenched his fist, but I couldn’t bring myself to trust him.
Back when I was in House Breio, the royal family had never once reprimanded them. They hadn’t even made the slightest attempt to pretend otherwise. The simple reason was that Breio's military power exceeded that of the Xenon Royal Family.
To go against House Breio, the Royal Family would have to issue a full mobilization order to all loyal vassals across the realm.
Gaius looked down at me and said.
“You’ve done well. But this matter can’t be handled lightly. We need more evidence.”
Just as I feared.
The Kingdom of Xenon couldn’t censure House Breio based on speculation alone. They required solid, irrefutable proof.
And shamelessly, Gaius de Xenon demanded that I provide it.
“Please preserve Spiel’s corpse instead of burning it. His very existence is enough to justify the eradication of House Delgain.”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“And detain the Slein soldiers stationed at the Delgain estate.”
“Do you have any proof that Slein is involved in this incident?”
I tilted my head at Gaius’s overly cautious response.
No matter how involved House Breio was, Gaius was being unusually careful.
That wasn’t like someone of Xenon’s bloodline.
“In cases of treason, even circumstantial evidence can be a major clue.”
I stated the truth, but Gaius refused to accept it. That meant there were royal circumstances I wasn’t privy to.
“Now is not the right time. With violent monsters appearing and disturbing the peace, this isn’t the time to go around accusing noble houses of treason.”
It was as if the royal family had decided from the start to turn a blind eye.
Marked monsters were appearing one after another, throwing Xenon into chaos. On top of that, the emergence of House Sardia and an unprecedented republican political movement, if even House Breio turned against them, the royal family would be finished.
‘Why are they backing down now, right when I’ve laid out the perfect board?’
This crisis was Hebron’s opportunity.
But to take advantage of it, someone of Xenon’s bloodline needed to act.
“I’ll say, then pressure them. Detain the Slein soldiers and question Viscount Slein about his ties to the traitorous Baron Delgain. Also, interrogate the mage Pakus of House Breio about why he hastily severed ties with Slein, who are implicated with a traitor. That alone should be enough to make House Breio wary. While now may be a time to strengthen internal unity, one could also argue it’s the time to eliminate those who can’t be trusted.”
“You’re right. Your thoughts run deep.”
Gaius looked at me with a weighty gaze.
But I didn’t avert my eyes.
“There was also a strange mark on the forehead of the ghoul I found in the dungeon.”
Gaius’s eyes wavered.
He looked flustered, clearly unable to handle the complexity of the situation with his simple mind.
“Dungeon… ghoul… mark….”
He kept muttering.
He was simply repeating what I’d said so he could report it to the royal family. After all, analyzing and handling this crisis wouldn’t be Gaius’s job, it would be the royal family’s.
Gaius was a hot-blooded young man.
As the Special Inspector, he likely wished to make a name for himself by accomplishing his assigned duties admirably.
‘Once the succession is over, Gaius will be sent to some province or tucked away in a corner of the royal palace.’
Only the king’s brothers with real administrative ability would remain at the royal palace. If lucky, one might be granted a territory and title and sent to the provinces. But Gaius’s lack of judgment meant the next king probably wouldn’t place him in an important role.
‘I’ll make sure you stay at the royal palace, Gaius, for Hebron’s sake.’
“Monsters with marked foreheads have been appearing in both House Hebron and the Zylson Viscounty. There’s a chance this all originated from Sardia’s hideout. It would be best to dispatch an investigation team. I’ll draw you a map.”
“Ooh! Yes, that sounds like a fine idea!”
“And the fact that Sardia’s bloodline still remains unsettles me. But it’s not wise to send valuable royal resources into the remote wastelands. So instead, order Viscount Slein to hunt down the remnants of Sardia. If he succeeds, reduce their punishment. If he fails, double his penalty.”
“Yes, yes! That much is easily within my powers!”
“And just in case, summon Slein’s daughter. She can testify to the connection between her and Pakus, Duke Breio’s chief mage.”
“I’ll send someone immediately.”
Gaius nodded enthusiastically.
Then he looked at me, as if waiting to hear whether I had anything more to say.
[PR/N: Bro played him like a fiddle]
