Episode 127

In one corner of the cathedral, an office was set up.

Cardinal Deviale, buried under a pile of documents, grasped his throbbing head.

It was inevitable.

Having spent half his life on the front lines and witnessed many scenes, he had never faced a case so unpredictable and without a single clue.

‘It’s difficult.’

He had encountered many temples dedicated to peculiar gods, but ominous phrases written in demon’s blood were a rarity, even in the central library of his homeland.

The only evidence at the scene was demon’s blood, and with no precedent to reference, he felt the limits of his expertise.

Knock-knock-

“Come in,”

Deviale called out without checking who was at the door. After all, besides him, there was only one other person who had unrestricted access to the cathedral’s depths.

“I beg your pardon.”

Shiron entered, bowing politely with a file and a tray in his hands, which, given the strong scent filling the room, likely contained coffee.

Click-

Deviale smirked at the neatly arranged refreshments before him.

“Why go to all this trouble? You must be busy with the interrogations as well.”

“I just needed an excuse to take a break.”

“…Indeed. You did, indeed.”

Deviale laughed out loud at Shiron’s witty remark, finally taking his eyes off the documents to glance at the clock.

‘…It’s already that time.’

The short hand pointed to 7. It was 7 o’clock when he last looked; it seemed he had pulled an all-nighter again. Deviale sipped the coffee before him and closed his eyes.

“Brother Shiron, may I ask you something?”

“You don’t need permission. Feel free to ask anything.”

“I read in a magazine that bosses who talk about work during break times are quite unpopular.”

After saying that, Deviale took a deep breath. The coffee the young nobleman brought had a really nice aroma, but the unsolved case prevented him from fully enjoying it.

“How is the interrogation of the suspects going?”

“We’re almost at the final stage… but we’re facing some challenges. All the suspects are unanimously denying the allegations…”

Shiron sighed deeply and bowed his head.

“Really, how can people be so shameless?”

“We can’t resort to torture during interrogations like in the old days.”

“…Because they might falsely confess just to avoid immediate pain.”

“You understand well.”

Deviale patted the slumped Shiron. The young man could have complained about the consecutive all-nighters, but instead, he not only completed his assigned tasks but also took initiative, making Deviale, who was leading the investigation, feel guilty.

“Your Eminence, by the way, a letter has arrived from Lucerne.”

“A letter?”

“It appears to be a response to the request we sent earlier for dispatching the Steel Knight Regiment.”

“Let me see it.”

Deviale unfolded the envelope that was handed to him.

“Uh…”

“May I ask what it says?”

“Nothing much. It seems that a knight order is coming from Rien. And there will be a delegation to meet the emperor, too.”

“A delegation, along with a knight order?”

“It seems like a serious matter since they’re bringing a military group right to the doorstep of the Imperial Palace. And also.”

Deviale put down his empty cup and continued.

“It seems that our homeland doesn’t view this incident as just a prank by socialites. You’ve been suspecting it too, haven’t you?”

“…It would be a lie to say no.”

The six temple appearances had all occurred on properties owned by supporters of the 1st Prince, Austin. It might have been overlooked if it had happened once or twice, but with the events occurring consecutively, they had no choice but to extend their investigation in that direction.

Shiron adjusted his glasses with one hand. He had good eyesight, but he always wore non-prescription glasses when looking at files.

“No matter how I look at it, this incident seems to stem from a power struggle between the 1st and the 3rd Princes.”

“Exactly…”

Deviale sighed deeply, pressing his eyelids shut.

It was hard to believe that those vying for imperial power would stoop to involving wicked demons, but given the circumstances, it seemed natural to suspect as much.

“If that’s the case, then it makes sense why those ‘protected’ in the cathedral are unanimously proclaiming their innocence. Assuming they’re the victims of a plot by someone who wishes for their downfall, it fits even more perfectly.”

“So, are you suggesting the Third Prince is the culprit?”

“No.”

In response to Shiron’s question, Deviale shook his head in denial.

“The mastermind behind this incident is connected to a high-ranking demon. According to the documents, demons do not follow humans and only cooperate through ‘deals’.”

“…”

“It seems unlikely that a human capable of making deals with demons would resort to such a sloppy method. Rather, it appears as though they’re trying to deceive the priests of Lucerne, knowing they would become involved.”

“Then…”

“There are several assumptions we can make, but I’ve considered two main possibilities.”

Deviale began to write on a blank piece of paper.

“I’ve heard that the Third Prince has a weaker political foundation compared to the First Prince. Hence, it could be interpreted as an act to publicize the Third Prince’s desperate moves to overturn this disparity. In other words, I believe it’s a scheme aimed at the downfall of the Third Prince.”

“So, are you implying that the First Prince’s faction acted on their own?”

Shiron fiddled with his lips, focusing on Deviale’s statement.

Although it was a plot to tarnish the reputation of the First Prince, Austin, he had to be careful to prevent the fire from spreading to himself. He said nothing and waited for Deviale’s next words.

“It’s one possible interpretation.”

“What’s the second one?”

“…Could you come closer?”

Deviale gestured for Shiron to approach and cleared his throat.

“It’s the deception of the socialites.”

“Excuse me?”

Shiron’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected return to square one.

“Why would that be? Isn’t there also a theory that the Third Prince made a deal with demons to turn the tide in his favor?”

“Are you a citizen of Rien?”

“Yes, well… I am.”

“How many times have you been dispatched, excluding Lucerne and Rien?”

“I’m relatively inexperienced, having only been to the southern conflict zones…”

Shiron rubbed his neck, feeling the conversation veer off course.

Ignoring Shiron’s reaction, Deviale began to draw a map on the blank paper. A mountain range bisected the vast continent, and the border of Rien stood firm against the waves of demonic beasts crossing it.

After outlining the rough situation, Deviale spoke.

“There are more people than expected who wish for Rien’s downfall.”

“What are you talking about? If Rien falls, who will stop the demonic beasts?”

Rien maintains its hegemony over the continent in exchange for acting as a breakwater for its vassals and other nations. This is a diplomatic principle in this world.

“States or interest groups of similar scale, possibly aligning with cults that worship evil gods, are suspected to be involved.”

“You mean it’s the work of foreign agents… That’s what you’re saying.”

“It’s just my personal opinion, so don’t take it too seriously.”

Deviale finished speaking and began to tidy his desk.

“The second assumption is too far-fetched. It seems right to act based on the first assumption, but what do you think?”

“I have no objections, but something is bothering me.”

“What is it?”

“Didn’t you say the Steel Knight Regiment is coming from Lucerne? If this is purely due to political strife and they aim for a clear outcome, it seems they would wrap up the situation before it escalates.”

Shiron looked at the documents Deviale was holding. If the situation escalates, the variables increase, and controlling the situation becomes impossible.

What Shiron wanted was the downfall of the First Prince, not to become entangled in the complex realm of international diplomacy.

Nonetheless, Austin must have been in a precarious situation at that moment. If the imperial nation got actively involved, the emperor would likely continue to delay the appointment of the crown prince.

‘He will do something.’

Based on his observations during the Night of the Long Swords, Austin appeared quite determined to ascend to the throne. His behavior in public, where he openly suppressed his rival Victor, was not difficult to interpret.

Ultimately, Austin was destined to die young. In the original story, his death occurred before Victor completed his education at the academy, so even Austin, fully aware of his predicament, would be feeling anxious.

“If it were me, I might resort to a dramatic measure.”

“Are you talking about assassination?”

“…That seems too extreme.”

The abrupt mention of violence caught Shiron off guard. He had no intention of assassinating Austin and coughed awkwardly to conceal his brief moment of panic before attempting to steer the conversation back on track.

“I think they might opt for fabricating evidence, accusing their adversary of devil worship. Once they expose a demon and name the opponent, the situation would escalate.”

Shiron locked eyes with Deviale, who seemed piqued by the idea.

“Therefore, I propose we offer surveillance under the guise of protection.”

They could not only monitor Austin under the pretense of suspicion but also, if they volunteered to serve as his escorts, he would be unable to decline. This was particularly true considering he was likely struggling to find rest with the threat of an unseen demon looming over him.

If they could secure Victor’s position in the interim, the path to victory would be all but certain.