Chapter 21

The raid on the abandoned temple ended in complete success. Knights wearing armor clearly engraved with the crest of the Reinhardt family were all captured on site and transported to the imperial palace’s underground prison. The fact that they had tried to harm ‘the Aster family’s old maid’ was tantamount to attacking the loyal subject who saved the Crown Prince, and was therefore regarded as an unmistakable act of treason.

The next morning, the great hall of the imperial palace was filled with air as cold as an ice chamber. The Emperor, Alberto Calix Kairos, seated on the throne, wore anger on his face, and before him stood Julian the crown prince, Sir Allen the bodyguard, and the empire’s chief ministers with bowed heads.

“How dare they attempt to poison my son, the sun of the Empire, and even seek to harm the loyal subject who saved him?”

The Emperor’s voice was low, but the fury contained within it shook the entire great hall.

Sir Allen stepped forward and reported.

“Your Majesty, those arrested on site were all elite knights of the Marquis of the Reinhardt family. Their identities have been confirmed, and the armor they wore has also been verified as genuine.”

“Reinhardt… that old serpent has finally crossed the line.”

The Emperor ground his teeth. Yet the Reinhardt family was one of the pillars of the Empire. If he rashly carried out a purge, the entire Empire could be dragged into civil war. With only the knights captured on site, the Marquis was likely to claim it was a ‘personal deviation’ and cut off the tails.

“Interrogate them and expose the ringleaders. We must extract a confession that the Marquis of the Reinhardt family gave the order personally.”

The Emperor’s command was given, but even the crown’s chief interrogator shook his head.

“Your Majesty, the Reinhardt knights are famed for their fierce loyalty. They will never speak under torture.”

It was then that Julian, who had been watching the situation quietly, spoke up.

“Your Majesty, I have an idea.”

All eyes turned to him.

“At the root and the end of this matter lies the Aster family. What if we sought their wisdom? In particular, Rian Aster, the younger brother of Kaion Aster who passed on the slander against the family, is said to be remarkably bright despite his youth.”

The Crown Prince’s proposal was unprecedented: to involve a thirteen-year-old boy in a state-level treason case. Yet the Emperor hesitated, recalling the Aster family’s mysterious ability that cured his son’s illness and Kaion’s wisdom that had bested Reinhardt.

At the same time, at Aster Manor.

Rian was taking in the situation, receiving reports from Kael.

‘The Marquis of the Reinhardt family will surely try to cut tails. The captured knights are just shields. We need a stronger blow to make them speak.’

Rian picked up a pen and began to write a new letter. It was another script to be delivered to the Crown Prince through his brother Kaion.

A few days later, in the imperial palace’s underground prison.

The Reinhardt knights kept their mouths shut despite severe interrogation. They firmly believed their lord would come to rescue them soon.

Then one day, one knight was permitted a visitor. Before him appeared a servant wearing clothing emblazoned with the Aster family’s crest—someone the knight had never seen. The servant glanced around and whispered in a low voice.

“I have come to deliver my master’s command. The Marquis of the Reinhardt family will soon move to rescue you. However, surveillance in the imperial palace is severe, so the Marquis has instructed us to pin all the blame on the Fontaine family to buy time. He told you to mention the Fontaine family during interrogation to sow confusion in the investigation. This is a promise between your lord and us to save you.”

The servant finished speaking, handed over a small note, and disappeared. The note contained only the name ‘Fontaine.’

The knight was thrown into confusion, but he accepted it as his lord’s order without question. At the next interrogation, he feigned breaking under torture and falsely confessed, ‘I acted under the orders of Baron Fontaine.’

And that false confession was the final puzzle piece Rian had been waiting for.

The moment the false confession was reported to the Emperor, the letter Rian had sent through the Crown Prince took effect.

‘Your Majesty, if the rebels mention the Fontaine family’s name, that will be the most conclusive evidence that the Marquis of the Reinhardt family is behind this. The Fontaine family manages the Fairy Spring, which was the source of the poison. This is a secret known only to me, Your Majesty, and a very few others. No one but the perpetrator could possibly know it.’

Everything fell into place. The Reinhardt knights never dreamed that the name they had thrown out to save their lord would instead become the evidence that put a blade to their lord’s throat.

Cold flames kindled in the Emperor’s eyes.

“Seize him! Bring the Marquis of the Reinhardt family to the imperial palace at once! In the name of the Empire, we will judge this traitor!”

In the perfect trap the shadow had set, the serpent’s head finally snared itself.