Chapter 78…………………….
After leaving the throne hall, the nobles gathered around Duke Bacard.
They were divided between those who followed him and those who found him distasteful.
“Do you really mean to bring commoners into the imperial palace?”
“Your Grace, it was arson. If we don’t catch the culprit, such a thing will happen again.”
Duke Bacard turned to him with a cold gaze.
“I heard your shop was completely burned down in the fire, Count. If you want the culprit caught so badly, why don’t you find them yourself?”
“How am I supposed to find the culprit?”
One of Bacard’s retainers, who had been flattering the emperor earlier, muttered as if to himself.
“I’d heard rumors that the Count’s private soldiers were so very brave.”
“W-what are you talking about? Where did you hear such nonsense? Don’t you know having private soldiers is practically treason? I was only concerned about the merchants of the square….”
The count coughed awkwardly and slowly backed away from him.
Bacard’s eyes swept across the nobles, suddenly sharp.
“What you all want—I will take care of it. Don’t worry. Do you not even know the basic principle that if you want to gain something, you must first give what is desired?”
He gave a short, derisive laugh.
“Don’t bother thinking. Just accept whatever I hand to you.”
Ever since the ball was canceled, Angelus had not left her room.
Yet unlike before, she wasn’t drowning in drink or losing her mind.
She was sharper than ever, replaying every word and action from Kyle that day.
“Kyle definitely has feelings for me. Why else would he bring me such a beautiful bouquet of flowers?”
But Kyle had stormed out suddenly and never reappeared, even when the banquet was canceled.
As she left the palace, Angelus ordered Hugo to find out where Kyle was.
She was pacing nervously in her room, waiting for him, when the maid announced Hugo’s arrival.
“Hugo, why are you so late? Do you know how long I’ve been waiting?”
Angelus rushed up to him.
“What about what I told you to find out? Where is Kyle right now?”
“The Archduke is currently staying at the Gronji estate.”
Angelus’s beautiful face twisted in an instant.
“Why is Kyle there? Since when? Since when has he been there? Don’t tell me….”
“Yes, he’s been at the Gronji estate since the night of the banquet.”
Before Hugo even finished, Angelus spat out a curse.
“And what about the way he acted toward me? That was clearly courtship.”
She clenched her teeth to keep from losing control, blowing sharp breaths through her nose.
“There must be a reason he went to Gronji’s house. What is it?”
“Apparently Lady Gronji was near the square during the explosion. The Archduke found her injured and…”
“Wait. Are you saying Kyle is nursing her right now?”
“I couldn’t enter to see for myself, but it’s highly likely.”
Angelus’s hand gripping her skirt turned white.
“Lady Naz’s tarot shop was burned down in the fire. It’ll be a long while before it reopens.”
“That’s not the point! You just said Kyle is at Gronji’s house. Kyle, who’s supposed to marry me, is in that detestable girl’s house, and you’re talking about some shop?”
Anxious, Angelus bit her nails and paced the room again.
“I have to see the emperor. Go quickly and tell him.”
“His Majesty is in poor spirits right now after the cancellation of the banquet.”
“That’s exactly why! I need to see him all the more. And keep me updated constantly on Kyle’s movements.”
“Constantly?”
“Yes. Before the banquet, I said we were to be married. Yet he left the palace anyway. That’s the same as defying His Majesty’s command.”
Hugo smirked and nodded.
“Surely His Majesty should know that the Archduke, who is to wed the saintess, is instead staying at the house of some lowborn baron’s daughter who lives alone. She is his one precious niece, after all. Don’t you agree?”
“I’ll see to it at once.”
At last, Angelus’s mood lightened. She ordered her maid to bring wine.
“Set it there.”
As Angelus sat at her vanity brushing her hair, her eyes caught sight of a deep blue paper.
“What’s that?”
“Eh? I-I’m not sure what you mean.”
“That thing tucked behind your back. I saw it when you bent over.”
“Oh, this… someone handed it to me in the square, so I just took it.”
“Give it here.”
When Angelus extended her hand, the maid hesitated before slowly handing it over.
It was cheap, poor-quality paper, splotched with blue paint.
Angelus read the words written on it and scoffed with contempt.
“Does looking at this make you think you could become a lady someday?”
The maid shook her head.
“No, I’d never think that. Someone like me… it’s impossible. I only kept it because it was handed to me.”
“That’s better. Status is absolute. It’s not something that changes with effort. You must simply accept it and live humbly.”
Angelus tossed the paper to the floor. The maid picked it up, crushed it in her hand.
“You’re right, my lady.”
But once outside, she carefully smoothed the paper flat again and tucked it deep into her pocket.
Kyle didn’t want to leave Everett’s side, but Alfred pressed him relentlessly to return.
When Kyle entered Alfred’s estate, he went straight to the back garden.
Though called a garden, it was so overgrown it resembled a forest.
After walking for some time, he came upon a shabby shed.
He pushed open the creaking door and swept aside the piled-up tools with his foot until he found a trapdoor leading underground.
Beneath the shed lay a massive stone-walled prison.
As Kyle descended, screams echoed from the depths.
“What’s this? Are you trying to kill them? Be gentlemen about it, gentlemen.”
Inside, a hulking guard and Alfred stood between several captives.
“You’ve come.”
Alfred offered Kyle a chair.
“So? Have you gotten anything out of them?”
“No. I can’t tell if they’re refusing to speak or if they truly don’t know.”
Kyle gave a cold smile.
“There are old stories of explosive magic powder being brought down from the north.”
“Yes, I’ve heard them.”
“It was banned for being too dangerous, but even after the war, it was secretly made and sold.”
“Mostly in the western region with the mana stone mines, wasn’t it?”
“Exactly. They used the mines as an excuse, but illegal is still illegal. They just turned a blind eye because mana stones were needed.”
Alfred nodded.
“All old history. I never imagined someone could still make it today—much less in the capital.”
Kyle tapped the chair rhythmically with a thin iron rod propped beside him.
“So, either their group has someone who can make it, or they found such a person.”
“They said they bought it. We scoured the outskirts of the capital, but found no one actually making it.”
“Then they must have abducted someone. No way they’d kill someone capable of producing such a valuable thing.”
Kyle whistled, amused.
“Just how many imperial laws have they broken? This is far beyond what we can handle.”
He threw the iron rod to the ground with a loud clang, making the blindfolded men flinch.
“Hand them over to the Black Knights. After taking beatings here, they should last… oh, maybe an hour?”
“An hour might be too long.”
“Hm, true. Best to die quickly once you meet the Black Knights. They’ve got too many skilled hands. They’ll torture you to the brink of death but not let you cross it.”
The infamous Black Knights—an order specializing in torture and punishment, usually for traitors or those who threatened the empire’s foundations.
No one ever left alive, but neither could they die easily.
At the mere mention of the Black Knights, the prisoners trembled like leaves and shouted they would talk.
Kyle smirked.
“Then talk.”
“We didn’t kidnap anyone, we truly don’t know! We paid a lot for the stuff, but the mixtures were a mess… most didn’t even explode!”
“It’s true! We only did as we were told.”
“Who told you? Don’t tell me you don’t know that either.”
“We… we don’t know.”
“Hopeless. Hand them to the Black Knights.”
The men cried out in despair.
“No, wait! It was the butler! The one who gave the orders was the butler!”
“The butler?”
“Yes, I heard he used to be a mercenary. He carries a staff, but it’s not really a staff—it’s a sword. The top has a silver snake’s head.”
“A sword-cane with a silver snake’s head…”
Kyle stood, ordering them to be locked away.
The men pleaded to be released since they’d told everything, but were quickly subdued by the guards.
Back aboveground, Kyle drew in a deep breath.
“No matter how many times, I can’t stand that air.”
“You used to come and go quite cheerfully.”
Alfred chuckled quietly.
“Keep them there a few more days, then release them far away… somewhere deep in the forest where it’ll take ages to get back.”
“Understood. Will you return to the palace now?”
“No, I’ll see Everett.”
“My lord, since the banquet you’ve not once gone back.”
“So what? Is His Majesty looking for me?”
“No, not exactly, but…”
“Sir Kiyor has gotten old and worries too much. Don’t fret. I’ll just visit Everett briefly and then go to the palace.”
Then Kyle muttered under his breath, too low for Alfred to catch:
“And I still need to find out what’s to be done with that ‘surprise gift’ from the banquet.”
