Chapter 41

41.

***

The inner defenses of the capital, Palamtiar.

One of the upper-class districts where many high-ranking nobles resided was filled with unexpected turmoil at one of the manors.

“Do you all wish to die! Hurry up!”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!”

The voice, laced with anger, echoed through the room.

The servants, responding to their master’s rebuke, moved their hands so furiously that their neatly dressed attire became disheveled, soaked in sweat.

Various items were being carried out by the servants’ hands.

From paintings by renowned artists of the empire, to intricate crafts created by master artisans, to luxurious garments and fine utensils made from the master’s expensive fabrics.

The ornate items that had adorned the mansion were being transferred to the carriages lined up in front of the estate.

clang!

“Him! How dare he touch the assets of a baron!”

“S-someone save me! Please… ahhh!”

flop!

The knight’s foot smashed into the abdomen of the screaming servant, who had lost his arm. Forgetting the pain from his severed arm, the servant shivered violently as he felt his abdomen tearing open, eventually retching blood.

The sight of the young servant wriggling on the floor left the other servants breathless.

“Are you incapable of moving at once?”

At the knight’s command, the other servants resumed carrying the remaining items.

In the eerie silence, fraught with tension, the only sounds in the front garden were the hurried footsteps and the dull thuds of luggage being loaded onto carriages.

As he observed the operations becoming swifter and more precise, Baron Kelvin muttered softly to himself to suppress his rising anger.

“Useless lot.”

He was already desperate to leave, but the departure was growing slower.

Even a single moment delay in leaving the Imperial Palace and entering the western region would be risky, yet they couldn’t even leave the mansion.

‘The forces sent to the south must have made contact with the Duke by now.’

The time it would take from the Duke’s death to the news reaching the palace is significant. Once his death is known, an investigation will begin, and everyone’s attention will turn to uncovering the cause of the Duke’s death.

During this time, any evidence linking the Duke’s operatives and associated individuals will be brought to light, and those involved will be pursued by the empire. But none of this mattered to Baron Kelvin.

‘By then, I’ll be long gone from Altain.’

All he needed was to escape the empire.

Once free, he could start a new life as part of the upper class in a foreign land, as previously agreed upon.

Kelvin gently caressed the documents hidden in his coat, which contained a meticulous record of the weaknesses and secrets of various Altain nobles. With this, he was sure to receive a warm welcome wherever he went.

Just as Baron Kelvin completed his mental calculations and was about to ask the servants to stop their work, a sound was heard.

grind.

The metallic sound was approaching at regular intervals. At the sound moving closer, all heads turned toward the entrance of the mansion, including Baron Kelvin’s. Then, a group of knights clad in armor came into view.

“Imperial Knights…!”

The emblem of Palenberk embroidered on the flapping cloaks could only belong to the Imperial Knight Order.

Before Baron Kelvin could utter a word in surprise, the knights crossed the entrance and quickly pushed their way inside.

“Halt! This is Baron Kelvin’s private property! How dare you intrude without permission! You Imperial Knights must follow proper protocol!”

The knights of Baron Kelvin stepped forward to block them, recognizing something off about their uninvited entry.

Others followed, forming a wall behind him, and thus both sides of knights faced each other, the tension palpable in the air.

“Imperial knights… what brings them here?”

“Their reasons remain unclear…”

In the stifling tension, the servants whispered cautiously to each other.

Then, it was the Imperial Knights who moved first, dissipating their aggressive stance.

Silently, the knights in the formidable steel wall split to the left and right, and through the gap walked an impeccably dressed elderly gentleman.

His long gray hair swept neatly back.

Though his overall face exuded a soft impression, the deeply lined eyes shone sharply, as if scrutinizing everything around. The emblem of Palenberk on his collar confirmed his identity.

At the sight of the old man, Baron Kelvin swallowed hard and asked.

“The Chamberlain of the Imperial Palace… may I ask why your presence graces my humble estate?”

To the question, Alberto chuckled and replied.

“Greetings, Baron. We discovered a wonderful chance to clean up, so we’re sweeping the dust out. Dust that’s been neglected for so long can be quite unhealthy, you see. Everyone’s diligently focused on cleaning.”

“… Cleaning?”

“That’s it. A kind of dusting. Somewhere, a name that might be… a kind of dust…”

Alberto let his sentence trail off.

Unaware that his hand, soaked in sweat, gripped the sword, Baron Kelvin’s knights were already reacting. Just as they were about to draw their swords, Alberto continued.

“Baron Kelvin, right? Are you well?”

“…Ugh. At them! If you can’t kill them, we die!”

Kelvin’s knights drew their swords.

Even faster, the Imperial Knights lunged.

Clang!

“Wha… what is this!”

Kelvin’s knights were far slower and swung their swords with a sluggishness that couldn’t compare to Cain’s prowess.

The Imperial Knights, thanks to their experience being battered by wooden swords in the training grounds, had reached a level where they could easily counter such attacks with a yawn.

Naturally, the battle concluded with Kelvin’s knights being effortlessly subdued.

“Let go! Do you know who I am…!”

“Silence, foul traitor!”

The sight of Baron Kelvin and his knights being hauled off to the Imperial Palace.

Alberto gave the order to transfer all of Baron Kelvin’s belongings to the Imperial Palace before gazing up at the sky.

The capital was busy that day, transporting not just Baron Kelvin but several other nobles with rebellion suspicions to the palace.

As Cain had reminded them, those deeply involved with Sylvester’s operatives were preparing for their escape and had gathered their limited troops to head south.

Though they believed they had moved in secrecy, it was all meaningless to those who already knew.

‘The empire is about to change.’

That young nobleman, who once declared he’d kill someone, is now cutting down the necks of many of the empire’s nobles.

At barely twenty years old, his execution, planning, and decisiveness were incredible.

He, the black-haired young noble, who suddenly appeared in the capital as the last victim of the absurd noble selection process, became a massive storm sweeping across the empire.

Alberto did not doubt or suspect Cain even given the current situation.

This was neither an unpredictable figure with feet that could go anywhere, nor an immature noble corrupted by power. It was not even lofty ideals or goals for leading the empire.

Rather, it was simply this powerless young master of the empire.

For a better life for Iris Palenberk, he drew his sword.

Cain was already making a ruckus in the south for another cause.

‘Her Majesty worries a lot, so he should return soon.’

While it was good to be busy moving around,

sometimes, people just wished to be near.

‘Did he bring back the gifts well?’

Recalling Iris’s frequent glances toward the southern window and the sullen little maid,

Alberto left Kelvin’s property.

***

The battle on the Fog Plains was as easy as drinking cold soup.

To begin with, a knight’s charge with mana users wasn’t something regular armed forces could stand against. Even with a superior number of troops, the difference in strength was akin to a fully-grown man effortlessly picking up a child. The armed forces, having no response, had a slim chance of survival.

Indeed, the cries of those armed troops echoed throughout the Fog Plains.

After watching the massacre rather leisurely, I said to Cruel,

“You will end up like that too.”

“…”

Looking at me with a clearly exasperated expression, Cruel simply shrugged and turned his gaze away.

By the time the knight squad returned after the battle, night had fallen.

With the fog becoming thick as the sun set, we decided to camp for the night. The awkward atmosphere continued for a day, and as the sun rose, we moved out in the carriage prepared by Laura Felanter.

The surrounding security was handled by the Feltan knights. No one would dare attack the carriage guarded by the Margrave’s knights, and even the Margrave himself was accompanying us.

“Your butt might get a bit stiff, but it’s better than walking all the way to Feltan, isn’t it?”

“That’s true. I was worrying about how to get through the Fog Plains, so it’s fortunate.”

Cruel’s joy briefly pierced through his gloomy expression. Was he really that exhausted?

Anyway, we were planning for a comfortable and pleasant carriage ride, but…

“…”

“…”

Inside the carriage headed to the Margrave’s territory, I was traveling not with Cruel, but Laura Felanter.

Right across from me was a woman who looked like a human form of fiery flames.

The current head of the Felanter family, the Margrave of the south, Laura Felanter.

Her crimson eyes were fixed on me the entire time.

“…If you have anything to say, say it, Margrave Felanter.”

“There’s nothing specific. I already mentioned that we would handle important matters at the estate.”

“Then, I’d appreciate it if you would stop making me uncomfortable with your gaze.”

Laura grinned faintly.

“Uncomfortable? But I’m quite confident in my looks… marriage proposals from other families are flying at me almost daily.”

Laura’s appearance was indeed as beautiful as she claimed.

Her fiery hair and eyes, and the confident smile she showed, could leave many men sleepless, tormented by burning desires.

But not compared to Iris.

My wife is even more beautiful, cuter, and lovelier. Her presence brings tranquility and comfort, offering a refreshing charm different from Laura Felanter’s allure.

Besides, Laura is twenty-seven, nine years older than Iris.

Despite her appearance being not much different from my own twenty-year-old self…

“Your… looks are not the issue. Looking at someone without saying anything makes the person feel uncomfortable.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I already mentioned this before.”

“Sorry, it’s just that you’re too captivating.”

After leaving me with those embarrassing words, Laura adjusted her posture once again.

Jolt.

The carriage shook gently as it moved on a bumpy road. Though the vibrations were minimal, they were enough to rock the body slightly.

Meanwhile, when exactly had Laura changed her clothes? The armor she wore when we met on the plains was long gone, replaced by formal noble attire.

Unlike the loose male noble attire, her feminine version was tight-fitting. Even though it was not revealing, it clearly displayed Laura’s curves.

The jostling carriage further highlighted the presence of her chest with every movement.

“….”

To avoid accidentally glancing, I simply closed my eyes.

To keep the vivid image from surfacing in my mind, I instead thought about the upcoming schedule.

“Though it’s slightly premature, I’ve met the Margrave.”

If I had encountered him in Barhen without securing the necessary documents, things could’ve become awkward.

Thankfully, I had everything I needed, and meeting Laura turned out to be a pleasant surprise despite my official message about my visit.

With things working out, I could integrate the southern faction, making it easier to isolate the eastern and western factions.

Cutting off the eastern and western factions from the Imperial Palace.

Although the southern faction’s influence was small compared to the east and west, it’s better than nothing.

As one might wonder how those who entered the Imperial Palace and formed their own group would cooperate with me,

I had a method to make the south follow me. I already knew the true goals of the faction and Laura Felanter.

“Wish to know when we’ll arrive?”

I’m eager to wrap this up and return to the Imperial Palace. After working so hard, I deserve some rest.