Chapter 179: The Evidence (1)

Pablo emerged from the meeting room and cautiously asked Louis, “Do you really think the Kanburk Kingdom is behind this incident?”

“No.”

“Huh?” Pablo’s eyes widened at the immediate response.

“Lokan VII was right. The Kanburk Kingdom has no reason to antagonize the Order. They have nothing to gain, especially given the current situation.”

“What do you mean by ‘the current situation’?”

“Didn’t you hear what happened earlier? The Snow King has appeared. With the kingdom on the brink of destruction, why would they pick a fight with us over a single powerful figure they could use?”

”…I suppose that makes sense. But why were you so dismissive of their claim earlier?”

“I had a realization. I figured out who took my rib and what they want.”

“Really?!”

“Yes. It’s simpler than we thought. We were overcomplicating things.”

“Who are they?”

“Curious?”

Pablo nodded.

Louis smiled before continuing.

“Traces of those bastards who stole the holy relic were discovered in Persellus territory, and we were attacked on our way back from there.”

“I remember.”

“If I hadn’t been there, you’d be dead now.”

“Yes, you’re right.”

“Then think about it. If you were to die right now, who would be happiest about it?”

“…”

“Who would benefit the most if your death were blamed on the Kanburk Kingdom, causing them and the Order to fall out?”

“…Could it be…?!”

It seemed Pablo had caught on to something.

“Are you suggesting…the Dominant Empire?” he asked cautiously.

“That’s my suspicion, though I don’t have proof yet.”

“Hrrr…” Pablo whistled softly.

“But given the circumstances, they’re the most likely culprits. Remember what we heard earlier? They’ve been dragging their feet on the Kanburk Kingdom’s call for assistance.”

“Indeed,” Howard interjected, his voice laden with suspicion. “They’re probably just stalling for time.”

”…But why would they do such a thing?” Fabre questioned, his brow furrowed in confusion. “What grievance could the King of Kanburk possibly hold against us?”

“One who has much to lose fears losing even more,” Howard mused. “What are you trying to say?”

“The Great Calloon Defensive Wall. Once completed, it will prevent demonic incursions from the Ma. But this also means that the Kanburk Kingdom’s military forces, which were previously occupied with repelling those threats, will now be free to invade imperial territory.”

”…?!” Fabre’s eyes widened in realization.

“Even if that’s not their intent, this situation still presents an opportunity for the Empire.”

“An opportunity?”

“The inhospitable terrain around Kanburk has led the Empire to ignore it thus far. Yet those who have adapted to this harsh land, after building their defensive wall to survive, suddenly find themselves sitting on a valuable commodity—money. With the completion of the Great Calloon Wall, they now possess a stable and secure territory. It’s time for the Empire to set its sights on this prized possession.”

Pablo chimed in, “But surely the Kanburk Kingdom’s military strength was quite concerning. Yet…”

“True. That’s when this ‘Snow King’ or whatever appeared, right? It was a golden opportunity! It was obvious that the Snow King would weaken the Kanburk forces.”

“You’re right… Devouring the wealthiest nation in the Winter Continent would be a missed opportunity we couldn’t afford to pass up.”

“Agreed. The biggest hurdle in this situation would be…”

“The Order, no doubt. If we were to aid the kingdom and protect it…”

“The Empire would be failing to seize a prime chance right before their eyes.”

“Hmph… How utterly frustrating!”

Pablo clicked his tongue in exasperation.

Then he noticed Louis watching him with astonished eyes.

I never informed Louis about the international situation around the Kanburk Kingdom, he realized.

So how did he connect all this to the Dominant Empire?

Did Louis already have knowledge of the Dominant Empire?

As Pablo pondered these questions, Louis shrugged and spoke up.

“I learned today for the first time.”

“Pardon?”

“You seemed curious about how I knew about the Dominant Empire and how I connected it to the culprit, judging by your expression.”

”…Good heavens!” A shudder ran through Pablo as he rubbed his arms vigorously. “Are you now… reading minds too?”

“Yes, indeed.”

”…Then, why don’t you try guessing what I’m thinking right now?”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than an invisible force struck Pablo squarely on the forehead.

Snap!

“Ouch!”

“This little shit’s getting a bit too flustered over nothing, isn’t it? Can’t you tell a joke from serious talk?”

“Well, how am I supposed to react when you sound so convincing?!”

Pablo protested indignantly, but all he received in return was pitying looks.

“I was impressed by your maturity in the conference room earlier… Why do you revert to being such a wimp only around me?”

”…That’s precisely my question. Strangely, whenever I’m in Louis-nim’s presence, my heart starts racing as if I’ve become my old self again…”

“Huh? Could this be…rejuvenation?!”

“Don’t get carried away. If those wrinkles on your brain disappear completely, I’ll personally open up your head and carve some back in.”

“Yes… I’m sorry.” Pablo scratched the back of his head awkwardly and ventured, “Um, Louis-nim?”

“What is it?”

“Why were you like that earlier?”

“Why, what do you mean?”

“What provoked you to anger Lokan VII…?”

“Oh, that.” Louis shrugged, as if dismissing its importance. “To be precise, I wasn’t trying to provoke the king. I wanted to get the attention of certain observers—those who might be watching from somewhere out there.”

“…?!”

“As I said earlier, my suspicion falls on the Dominant Empire, but I don’t have any definitive proof that they orchestrated this attack.”

“Are you suggesting…that there might be imperial spies within the kingdom, Lord Louis?”

“If it were me, the first thing I’d do before striking would be to plant my own people inside the enemy ranks—whether they’re from the Order or the Kanburk Kingdom.”

“Even in the Order? But it shouldn’t be easy to sway the Order’s warriors, right?”

“There’s no guarantee that the Order is free from spies. They could be warriors or even their families.”

“Huh…”

“Well, if we want to coordinate with the entire empire, it makes sense that there’s likely a spy among us to gather intel.”

Pablo nodded vigorously.

That’s why!

That’s why Louis had dramatically stormed out of the meeting room. If the Dominant Empire wanted to sow discord between the Order and the Kanburk Kingdom, this move would have been designed to provoke their response.

Pablo was truly impressed.

If it hadn’t been for the grumbling voice that soon followed, his admiration would have lasted much longer.

“Are you kidding me?! Honestly… it’s so annoying, right? What have they left for us to handle? And they expect us to help for free. I swear, they have no shame!”

”…”

“Calling us allies or whatever just so they can use us. It’s like they’re trying to take advantage of our friendship! In other words, they’re trying to get one over on us!”

“…”

“He can’t do anything if I’m around! Or so he thinks!”

Pablo stared blankly at Louis. Any traces of admiration once present in his eyes had long vanished.

…It seems he’s being serious this time.

While Louis was indeed provocative, aiming to gauge the Empire’s reaction by riling up the king, it also seemed that Louis had lost his temper with the Kanburk Kingdom’s attempts to use the Holy See for free.

I should’ve known…

With an expression that said, “Well, of course,” Pablo chased after Louis, who had taken the lead.

That night Louis had turned the meeting room upside down.

Late in the night, Seventh Lokan finally caved into exhaustion and fell asleep, his mind still grappling with church matters that refused to yield.

How deep have I been sleeping?

Murmur-murmur-

Grumble-grumble-

His eyebrows furrowed at the sound of approaching conversations. There really was no escape from noise within a tent. Comfortable rest was always elusive, too. But royalty insisted on pitching tents at the grand Caloon assembly, clinging to tradition.

At times like this, when weariness weighed heavy, he couldn’t help but yearn for the comforts of his royal bed.

Ha… With a deep sigh, the king sat up.

“Who’s—wh-who’s our-… What commotion is…” His voice faltered as his gaze swept the room.

Lokan VII’s call for his guards outside abruptly cut off. His blurry vision cleared, and the sight that greeted him froze his thoughts.

…?!

Lokan VII was certain he had fallen asleep in his tent. But when he opened his eyes, wasn’t he in some entirely different place? At a glance, he could see luxurious furnishings lining the spacious interior.

Where am I?

While Lokan VII stared blankly, a voice spoke from directly in front of him.

“You’re awake, aren’t you?”

A red-haired woman named Tanya appeared, cup in hand, smiling at the sight of Lokan VII sitting up.

“And you are…?”

“Ah, just a moment, please.”

Tanya ignored the king’s question and called out.

“Teacher! The person you kidnapped is awake!”

The king’s eyes widened.

“K- kidnapped?”

“Kidnapped?” He jumped up from his seat, scanning the area.

It was obvious that he was looking for anything he could use as a weapon.

Then, a critical voice spoke from the shadows.

“Kidnapped…? When did I ever kidnap anyone?”

“Taking someone while they’re asleep is called kidnapping!”

“No, it isn’t.”

As Louis and Tanya squabbled, other voices emerged from various corners of the room.

“It’s awake?”

“Whoa, it really sleeps well!”

“So who is this?”

“We don’t know either.”

The twins and Kendrick crowded around Lokan VII.

The king, who had suddenly become the center of attention, shouted, flustered. “What is the meaning of this, priest?!”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just wanted to have a conversation.”

“If you want to talk, you should have come officially tomorrow…”

“Wait. How did you bring me here in the first place?”

For Lokan VII, it was an unquestionable mystery.

His tent was surrounded by tight security elsewhere. She had managed to bypass that and bring him here? It seemed incredible.

Louis’s answer to her was simple. “It’s no difficulty for one who follows the God.”

Tanya and the twins chattered as they watched Louis make a quick sign of the cross.

“Why is Louis doing that?”

“I wonder… He’s been practicing that hand movement for a while now.”

“It’s what the teacher taught us. He’s just being faithful to the concept.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’m not sure either…”

As Tanya and the twins engaged in a hushed conversation about Louis’s actions, Kendrick’s eyes widened for an entirely different reason.

The teacher… used polite language?!

That esteemed teacher had actually used polite language?! It was a notion Kendrick had never even entertained.

Who exactly is that person?

His question was answered forthwith.

“Lord Louis! I’ve brought the dinner you requested!”

Despite being a great warrior himself, Pablo was still stuck running food for Louis and the twins’ “late-night snack shuttle.” He had just entered with a tray full of meat and drinks when he noticed Seventh Lokan standing by the bed.

“Huh…?”

Pablo was instantly shocked.

“Y-Your Majesty the King?!”

He rushed over to Seventh Lokan, his face contorted.

No wonder he suddenly asked me to bring some snacks!

And he specifically chose Pablo over his juniors!

Was this what he had in mind?!

It seemed Louis had been waiting for the perfect moment to cause some trouble ever since Pablo left the room.

If anyone found out that the king had disappeared from his bedchamber, it would be more than just a mess—it would be a full-blown catastrophe.

Meanwhile, Pablo’s declaration caused the twins to study Lokan VII with newfound interest.

“The king?”

“Huh? He’s the king of this country?” The Flame siblings were astonished. “Oh my god! So he really is the king!”

“You’ve got to be kidding, Teacher! What have we done by hauling his majesty here over our shoulders and giving him the business?!”

Crack.

“Ouch!”

“Kendrick, you bastard, where did you get off calling our teacher crazy?”

“Gasp … I-I didn’t call him crazy, did I?” Kendrick rubbed his forehead as if unfairly maligned.

Ignoring his brother, Louis turned to look at Lokan VII. It was clear that the young king was overwhelmed and disoriented by the turn of events.

Louis spoke in a languid voice:

“Don’t be too cautious here. This is just our tent. It’s not far from His Highness’s quarters.”

“This is a tent?” The king’s gaze swept over the surroundings.

This place, within the palace walls, seems several times larger than my own chambers, and he calls it a tent?

The king’s wariness intensified.

Louis scratched his cheek. “It’s true… Anyway, that’s not important. We should sit down and talk about this.”

“What conversation could I possibly have with you in this rude situation?” the king retorted, his tone prickly.

Pablo and Kendrick nodded in agreement with their king’s irritable words.

Who would be thrilled to be thrust into a conversation after being kidnapped out of the blue?

The men who had been nodding shifted their gazes away as Louis glaring down at them. During this moment, Lokan 7th turned his body.

“I am leaving now, so come back tomorrow and follow the proper procedures.”

Lokan 7th spoke coldly and began walking towards the entrance.

That was when it happened.

“How much do you trust the subjects of your kingdom, Your Highness?” Louis asked in a calm voice.

Lokan 7th’s footsteps froze at that moment.