A moment of utter peril. Damon could only stare blankly at the needle slowly drawing nearer.
If Theodore pushed the needle in just a little farther, he would have to bid this world a clean farewell. No matter that his body was that of an archmage, there was no reason it would be immune to poison—and to make matters worse, he was in a state where he could not even cast magic.
Unable even to move properly, he had no choice but to regard death as his approaching fate. Then something no one had expected occurred.
“Urgh.”
With a heavy groan, the needle fell limply to the floor.
“Wh-what?”
Clutching his wrist, Theodore looked to the side in shock. His adjutant, Alex, was staring at him with his fist clenched. His lips were bitten tight, as though he had made some firm resolve. Without hesitation, he kicked the poison-coated needle far away.
“Clang!”
Theodore’s furious shout burst out reflexively.
“What in the world do you think you’re doing?”
“Please stop now. To frighten His Highness the Crown Prince any further is a clear discourtesy.”
“You… you?”
Theodore stared blankly at Alex’s face, unable to believe it. At some point, Alex had slipped in between Theodore and Damon. As if determined to guard the Crown Prince without the slightest gap, he had completely blocked the space between them. From that sight, Theodore realized one thing.
“Don’t tell me… you? After all this time, you intend to side with Crown Prince Alkaris?”
A vague smile appeared on Alex’s face as he slowly nodded.
“Why would I not? His Highness the Crown Prince must ascend the throne before long. As a knight of the Croisen Empire, it is only proper that I protect His Highness the Crown Prince. His Grace Duke Perstein will be most pleased when he learns of this.”
Theodore regained his composure faster than expected. He glared at Alex with a sharp gaze.
“Did you infiltrate my command under Duke Perstein’s orders?”
Alex neither affirmed nor denied it, merely listening to Theodore in silence. As though dumbfounded, Theodore shook his head.
“Astonishing. I never dreamed it could be so. To think you were under Perstein’s orders…”
“Please do not be too angered. Just as you, Lord Regent, are endlessly loyal to the imperial family, I too offer my sincere loyalty to His Grace the Duke. Please forgive me for having had no choice but to deceive you in the process.”
At Alex’s reply, Theodore seemed to lose all strength.
“So it truly was Duke Perstein? Truly astonishing. Your ability to draw such loyalty from your subordinates.”
Having gathered his thoughts, Theodore gazed steadily into Alex’s eyes.
“Then the execution of your entire family under Duke Perstein’s orders was all something you engineered as well.”
A complicated look settled over Alex’s face.
“That is correct. It was an unavoidable method in order to deceive you, Lord Regent, and infiltrate your command. To me, carrying out His Grace the Duke’s orders is more important than even the lives of my family.”
Perhaps from the shock, Theodore’s face had turned as white as a sheet.
“Truly astonishing. The very fact that you can receive such loyalty from a subordinate…”
“By enduring sacrifice, I was able to gain your trust, Lord Regent. And thus I was able to play my part at this desperate moment. It is truly fortunate.”
Theodore, looking at Alex, bit his lip hard. But there was no way out of the situation. As a mere civil official, there was no path by which he could fight and subdue Alex, a Sword Master, with his bare hands. Damon watched the unfolding situation without saying a word.
“Please give up now. Your efforts, Lord Regent, are admirable, but they will not work at all against His Grace Duke Perstein. His plans are proceeding exactly as intended, without the slightest deviation.”
“I suppose so.”
A look of despair appeared on Theodore’s face. The final plan he had pushed forward, deceiving even Marquis Williams, had collapsed completely. And all because of Duke Perstein’s trusted man, who had infiltrated their ranks while concealing his identity.
“It seems God truly means to abandon me.”
Perhaps overcome by dizziness, his body swayed weakly. Alex stared hard at Theodore and shouted.
“Guards!”
The shout, laden with mana, struck squarely into the ears of the knights waiting outside. A moment later, the guard knights opened the door and entered the room.
“What?”
The instant they took in the situation inside, the knights were startled. The sight of the Regent standing dazed while clutching his forearm, and the adjutant standing before Crown Prince Alkaris while glaring at his superior, was not something easy to understand at a glance. Kasimov, the man in charge, stepped forward as if to ask what had happened. The tense knights found themselves gripping the hilts of their swords without realizing it.
“What has happened?”
At Kasimov’s question, Alex spoke without even looking his way.
“Treason. Regent Theodore brought in a poison-coated needle hidden on his person and attempted to take His Highness the Crown Prince’s life.”
Even as he spoke, Alex’s gaze remained fixed on Theodore. His eyes seemed to say that he would tolerate no suspicious movement whatsoever.
“Wh-what did you say?”
Kasimov was so shocked his eyes nearly bulged. Regent Theodore, renowned for his deep loyalty, had attempted to take the Crown Prince’s life? Kasimov could not easily believe the adjutant’s words. But the evidence was soon found.
“If you look on the floor, you will find a poison-coated needle lying there. I kicked it away at the decisive moment.”
At those words, the knights instinctively began searching.
“Here it is.”
One knight carefully picked up the needle. As if proving that a deadly poison had been applied to it, the tip of the needle was stained a deep blue. Seeing it, Kasimov skillfully deployed the knights. After ordering five knights to surround Regent Theodore, he approached Alex, who was standing before Crown Prince Alkaris.
“Get down on the floor at once. From now on, we will take charge of guarding His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Without another word, Alex prostrated himself on the floor. Immediately, ten knights rushed in and completely surrounded the bed on which Damon lay. The bed had been perfectly sealed off so that not even a single needle could pass through. After confirming this, Kasimov allowed Alex to rise.
“You may stand now.”
Having spoken, Kasimov looked at Theodore.
“Is what your adjutant said true?”
Theodore did not answer. He merely kept his eyes gently closed, maintaining his silence. Kasimov’s gaze naturally turned toward the bed. More precisely, toward the place where Damon lay.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince. May I dare ask whether the adjutant’s words are true?”
From between the lined-up knights came a feeble voice.
“Y-yes. The Regent tried to kill me. Fortunately, thanks to the adjutant, I was able to escape d-danger.”
The moment he heard the answer, Kasimov’s expression stiffened. Regent Theodore had truly attempted to take Crown Prince Alkaris’s life… Kasimov had never imagined such a thing, not even in his dreams. If things had gone wrong… As Kasimov thought of that, his body trembled faintly. It was clear that they would not escape punishment, for they had effectively created the very opportunity for an assassination.
“In short, it was like entrusting fish to a cat.”
As though there was nothing to think about, he gave the knights an order.
“Arrest Regent Theodore. Bind him securely so that he cannot move even a single step from this spot.”
The knights immediately began carrying out the order. Regent Theodore obediently surrendered himself to the knights’ hands, as if he had given up everything. Watching this, Kasimov’s gaze turned to Alex.
“You, too, cannot leave this place for the time being. Not until all the facts have been uncovered. I hope you will cooperate willingly.”
Alex nodded readily.
“I will cooperate as much as you wish. I believe I have fulfilled my duty simply by saving His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“You have my sincere thanks.”
Looking at Alex with an expression of deep emotion, Kasimov immediately turned around. Adjutant Alex was, in a word, their savior.
“Wait here. This is not a matter to be handled rashly, so I must bring the Knight Commander. You are to guard this place like an iron wall.”
“Understood.”
When Marquis Williams received the astonishing report, an expression of disbelief appeared on his face.
“Is… is that truly the truth?”
“Yes. His Highness the Crown Prince has already confirmed it. If not for the adjutant, it could have been disastrous.”
Hearing Vice Commander Kasimov’s words, Marquis Williams was stunned. Until now, he had never once doubted Regent Theodore’s loyalty. One could tell well enough just by seeing how he ordinarily treated Crown Prince De Beers. And yet such a man had attempted to take Crown Prince Alkaris’s life…
“I must meet him first.”
Without further thought, he launched himself forward. In the distance, Duke Perstein was approaching with the Duke Knights in tow, but Marquis Williams had no attention to spare for that.
Upon entering the room, Marquis Williams swept his eyes around. With a single glance, he was able to grasp the situation roughly. He glared at Theodore, who was bound without the slightest opening, and thundered in fury.
“Regent Theodore. H-how could you do this?”
Perhaps overwhelmed by emotion, the marquis’s voice trembled faintly. Theodore, who had maintained only silence until then, slowly raised his head. His eyes, looking at Marquis Williams, were filled with a complicated light.
“Forgive me, Marquis. But to me, this was the best course.”
“You dared… you dared attempt to take His Highness the Crown Prince’s life…”
Marquis Williams trembled all over, as though he could not control his emotions at all. It was understandable, for he had been utterly betrayed by the Regent he had trusted so deeply. As the marquis found himself unable to continue, Kasimov approached him and held something out.
“This is the evidence. Regent Theodore attempted to take His Highness the Crown Prince’s life with this.”
Marquis Williams glanced at the poison-coated needle, then answered coldly as though there was nothing more to consider.
“Imprison the Regent in the underground dungeon. He will be strictly punished according to national law.”
“Understood.”
Just as the knights were about to take Theodore away, a deep voice rang through the room.
“That will not do.”
The startled knights turned their heads, and saw Duke Perstein standing at the doorway with the Duke Knights in tow. Marquis Williams looked at him with bewildered eyes.
“D-Duke Perstein.”
Duke Perstein looked at Marquis Williams with a cold gaze.
“You boasted that you would guard him like an iron wall, and what is this disgrace? To think you calmly guided an assassin to His Highness the Crown Prince… Does that make any sense at all?”
“…”
Marquis Williams had nothing to say even if he had ten mouths. After all, he was the very person who had allowed Regent Theodore to enter. Duke Perstein continued his interrogation.
“I can no longer trust the Croisen Knights. From now on, the security of the inner chamber will be handled by our Duke Knights.”
“That cannot be.”
Marquis Williams jerked his head up as if in a fit, his face full of anger.
“The protection of key members of the imperial family has traditionally been the duty of the Croisen Knights. Though I admit that I made a mistake, I will not tolerate any further abuse of authority.”
As if refusing to argue any further, Marquis Williams coldly turned his head and issued an order to the knights as sharp as frost.
“Escort Regent Theodore away at once. He will be severely punished according to the law.”
But Duke Perstein immediately cut him off.
“That will not do. He has committed a grave crime against me as well… He has the crime of dispatching assassins to murder 179 soldiers under my command. Did he think he could slip away so easily?”
At those words, Marquis Williams felt his heart give a jolt.
“Wh-what in the world are you talking about?”
Duke Perstein continued speaking without so much as changing his expression.
“I have already arrested and imprisoned several of the assassins who were dispatched, as well as the instructor who trained
them. They confessed to every crime. Therefore, I must
take custody of Consul Theodore. I must make him pay for the lives of the 179 soldiers who died……”
Unable to simply comply, Marquis Williams forced himself to protest.
“That is a matter to be investigated later. For now, we must take custody of him.”
As if he had expected as much, Duke Perstein gave a faint smile.
“By any chance, do you know what Consul Theodore’s true identity is?”
At the duke’s unexpected words, suspicion clouded Marquis Williams’s eyes.
“Wh-what do you mean……”
“Listen carefully. He is the very man who, seven years ago, had the court mage Feirun and Ludwig, the vice commander of the Krosen Knights,
lure Crown Prince Alcaris to Truvenia and attempt to murder him.
I have already secured witnesses and evidence regarding the matter.”
“Su-surely such a thing……”
As disbelief spread across Marquis Williams’s face, Duke Perstein silently turned his head.
“I will show you the witness. Alex.”
No sooner had he spoken than Alex rushed over like the wind and stood at attention.
“Did you call for me?”
“You secured the evidence, did you not?”
“Of course.”
Without hesitation, Alex drew a conch shell from within his clothes. The magically enchanted conch shell
spat out, word for word, the conversation that had taken place here moments ago. Of course, the first half, in which Damon had revealed
his life story, had been omitted, and it contained only
the latter half—Consul Theodore’s monologue. Hearing Consul Theodore’s own voice with his own ears, Marquis Williams
opened his eyes wide in disbelief.
“Good heavens, how could such a thing……”
He glared at Consul Theodore, who stood silently, with eyes as if he would devour him.
As though rage surged up in him at the mere thought of it, his body trembled. But
Theodore merely remained silent, as if he had given up on everything. Duke Perstein
raised a hand and patted Alex on the shoulder.
“I have long harbored certain suspicions about Consul Theodore. In preparation
for a case like this, I had Alex infiltrate them, and this time he has truly accomplished something great.”
Having finished speaking, Duke Perstein raised a finger and pointed at Theodore.
“I will take custody of Theodore. I trust there will be no further objection to that.”
But Marquis Williams did not back down so easily.