Chapter 272
kGJDantalion mobilized all the power of Frazia to capture Fernan.oYc
zObZThe result was two demons.8KnKFfB
97sMWhat he hadn’t foreseen was that Fernan and Luina had grown beyond all expectations, nor that Fernan, foreseeing an emergency, had secretly brought along one of his family’s Royal Knights.e86wa
z96tqylFernan and Luina, instead of being hunted, hunted the two demons.jJhw
ySfOn the other hand, the other areas lacked sufficient reinforcements.oEw
SrhThanks to that, the suspects of being corrupt—no, the truly corrupt—were all captured or eliminated without exception.2UB
o7Uu“You’re saying the only survivor was Iosif Krton?”FK9yQlI
cOuTjr“Yes. In the other places, the resistance was so fierce that they had no choice but to kill them.”nI9sEq9
Btv“And Count Iosif?”Vxp
i30T“He tried to resist, but nothing major…”gek
gwmknAint scratched his cheek. It was a matter of life and death, so the resistance must not have been minor. That only meant Aint and his group had been too overwhelming.QuSrx
goDX“By the way, are you alright? They said two demons were summoned…”Ldt
oPi7“They were.”Wge6Y8
eeJik2D“They were? That’s not an answer, senior! Did you lose a bet or what?”KslXte
D5YQb“Calm down. Am I not standing here alive and in one piece before you?”kiOM0e8
VTRnf“Ah…”IHU4qO
7lcRAaAint and Aria shut their mouths at the same time.o6tncZE
rc7yITIndeed, upon hearing that two demons had been summoned, they had rushed there immediately.03H7EUR
TptBut when they arrived, only the traces of the battle remained—Fernan and Luina were completely unharmed.B0l
zd7Rc— Kyuu!401
8ybD4DWooden too.irn3y
DqJAsrThat could only mean one thing—the demons were dead.0GudzF
czbtQ“You two really defeated the demons?”7wobAhB
3vR“I borrowed a bit of power from my family.”eQ4181
v1vRLB“Your family?”ppWGN4
YOq2SaD“A pleasure, Aint Armian. This is my first time seeing you in person. My name is Armond Merschdorf.”pVwwW3
VMk“…A Royal Knight?”LboNOE
0rzE4h“Wasn’t he this man’s servant?”QTnfl
vGGDEveryone’s eyes widened in astonishment.3pFmK
Ocd1rX“Hmph, that’s why I said—worrying about Fernan is the most useless thing in the world.”GWzIQ
o8l“Bah, if they threw him into hell, he’d come back carrying infernal minerals.”wl3E
UCEqZsRVerian scoffed, and Gismond nodded in agreement.ZMrn9zW
imFx3“Two demons? They say even one is enough to destroy an entire kingdom! And you three defeated them…?”LuT0
c8zo9G— Kyuu!pmiVpZ
HNAD54“…No, four, counting Wooden.”oxsAt9
ilzVAdolf, seeing Fernan and Luina’s true power, was stunned.fAhfkJN
GcZ1He realized how absurd it had been to even consider opposing them, and how fortunate he was to have joined their group.1aZZ
nZPN1Gardner thought the same.w6W1QZ
f9ht— Fernan is truly extraordinary. Even with the enemy’s power, facing two demons isn’t something for a mere brave soul.6OtKt28
YC8OsLaHe didn’t just have luck or resources; his skill already surpassed many.ozoq
JNaNqdGiving a royal sword to a child would only serve for them to injure themselves; but Fernan was born to wield it.DCoj2
isR4xS— He has the composure of an Archmage. No, he already possesses that level; he just hasn’t revealed it yet.fdZii
f5uMJu— But how much longer can he hide it?ikpvr8U
SznUXNeedles always end up breaking through pockets.bszzCl
HXi3PGardner was convinced Fernan had already reached the rank of a superhuman.xOKdtY
uZJ1Pe— How ironic. How many superhumans are there in this small group?Wjd5J
7QFQ37They weren’t officially a Royal Knight or an Archmage yet, but that no longer mattered.sT2s
sX2Cjh3When the Dragon God War and the Tournament arrived, things would change.okK2s
SBGIq— This reminds me of when I rode alongside the previous Emperor. Back then, everyone around us was also a superhuman.UAQGK
qTZWWIt wasn’t an exaggeration. The first Royal Knights and Archmages were precisely the heroes who, alongside the first Emperor, hunted demons.E8TQ
0pMV“So, Aint, where is Count Iosif now?”z90
Zvog6Fernan’s question pulled Aint and Gardner from their thoughts.crAb
gpLWTO“We sent him ahead to the royal palace. I suppose he must be in the underground prison.”wkBbPaX
1JphZz“Then we must see him first.”Atc8NI
HsE8MThey had captured or eliminated all suspects, but they still didn’t know if that was enough.236
ht3UIaThere could be additional collaborators or more hidden corrupt. They needed to root them out completely.gXQ
8hf“Ah, wait a second, senior. I found this myself.”m4Rzqw
oUtdcQpAint handed him a bundle of documents.A3yoHCd
8odI9“I found it in a secret room inside Count Iosif’s office. I thought you should see it.”fOQVJ
fpc2O“I see.”cqcUCi
PS9whAfter reviewing the content, Fernan nodded.wRQC
CW749c“Do you think it’s a misunderstanding?”4FyiNb
EEW“It could be—or not. In any case, there was certainly something suspicious.”QB5kX
n8QF5YThey departed immediately for the capital.3GD0
DpUmABut after several days of travel, the worst news awaited them.oaYOO
n86“Count Iosif is dead.”hUt
yCXh“…So suddenly?”gNT
HZX“During the transfer, they were attacked by monsters…”Ok5S9
eE4All the corrupt were dead.6IKx3d
x7YNot a single witness remained, no one who could testify about the other culprits.Kd9Smx
lc2A monster attack was possible, of course. But when transferring a criminal of high treason, the escort should have been reinforced.rgiD
4ksh0h“It was bad luck. An ogre fell on him when it collapsed.”T6B
MRnzn“I see.”8Nwp
hsYTjpvIt could have been sheer bad luck—the count crushed by an ogre, the others killed in resistance.uuUPiez
vkHBut that not even one had survived—that was already too suspicious.W9mqlH
GnuEEspecially after Fernan insisted that at least some should be captured alive.2v9
rK5pYAfter a moment of thought, Fernan pulled Aint aside.jluf2UI
tqzwKAE“Aint, come with me. There’s a place we need to go.”6Vde7q
Kxrj9o“Shouldn’t we look for the one responsible?”wQx
vHVckn3“That’s exactly why we’re going.”cxznl
ht7pThey hurried their steps until reaching the Grand Duke’s secondary palace, inside the royal palace itself.mkViq
DmJZ“Welcome! I was just about to go receive you personally. Capturing two demons! All of Frazia owes you a great debt!”7NQi
rKoV9cThe duke greeted them with a smile.HGO
JTslu“Now that the vile corrupt and demons have been annihilated, peace will finally return to the kingdom…”iT5E
N8vb“Count Iosif is dead. Did you know?”Wz4
dHQlF“…I heard.”cD8B
6QPgThe duke clenched his teeth.Bl6I
yRhI4n“A death far too merciful for a traitor who betrayed the kingdom and humanity. He should’ve been condemned to an existence where he could neither live nor die.”BNNMC
is5“Does His Majesty know as well?”Wez
ZR3Xw5W“Of course, I’ve already informed him.”2UetLEs
Puzt3ko“And did you also tell him that it was you who killed him?”ZZA
YnFw9cIn that instant, the duke’s face hardened. But it was only for a second; he quickly smiled again.igTETU
joLY“What are you suddenly saying? No matter how much of a hero you are, Fernan, that’s not a good joke.”RgR1
FAX“Your Highness, humans are vile creatures. We can only feel at ease when we hold the other’s weakness in our hands.”OvdmQ3
iibALAEven among allies, the same applies. Preparing for the worst is a human instinct.jC8i
hqh8EvWhen someone tries to kill you, you also prepare a way to kill them, and if that’s not possible, at least make sure both fall together.z2jn
IdFVMWThat way, the other won’t dare provoke you lightly.Px0In
AfX6Fernan placed on the table the documents Aint had given him.D0xA
PLFcThey were Count Iosif’s diary, accompanied by records of conversations he had had with the duke himself.Ro4Cr1K
LiqQThe content, of course, revolved around the corrupt.17o
YTRKThe duke let out a soft chuckle.og7i
F1dj7L0“It seems there’s a misunderstanding. I already told you at the beginning— to catch the tiger, you must enter its den.”lio
iIF1jr6The duke didn’t deny that the voice in the recordings was his.jDVQY3
0ADIw“I also thought that at first.”QXrFq
KNS4hY“And now you don’t?”xy0k
lT53“That’s right. Because you killed Count Iosif.”Gvr
8fhuMg“I didn’t kill him. It was a monster attack—pure bad luck.”JFzG4
bZvs58“And the other corrupt?”Mit
HV3aE“I was informed they resisted too violently. What would be the point in increasing our men’s casualties just to capture them alive?”DMK
a9yIt was a reasonable argument.cYV9Cq
hSHBut if not only the corrupt had died, and all the castles had burned, and all the documents had been lost—was it still just a coincidence?K7TPMn
2jqR9One might be coincidence, two maybe as well, but four or five—was that really coincidence?pwaouh
SG0f“Doesn’t it seem strange to you? If we truly wanted to eradicate them, we should have preserved any trace, any clue, to root out the ones that remained.”D30Ni
NYMvn0V“Precisely for that reason, isn’t it logical to think that they themselves set everything on fire?”eikED
TusKF“Maybe. But when too many coincidences pile up, they stop being coincidences. It’s called causality.”FoV
SJukX3W“I’ll make a guess.”dL87xi5
HkEdePrFernan gently tapped the table with his fingers.fvjq
ArNiXu“Let’s suppose that Your Highness didn’t enter the den to hunt the tiger—but that you yourself were the tiger.”DOQ2Wd
afimPQdA tiger who used other tigers while it was convenient, and who, when the balance in the mountain shifted, decided to eliminate the others, taking advantage of the opportunity.9l3
WWxJhe“And that you used our hands—mine and Aint’s—to eradicate all the corrupt.”mjvRahv
WPALvk“That joke has gone too far.”cID
25VKgk“It’s not a joke.”p28G1iB
IyVCMsVFernan looked at him coldly.lO6qH
lzjG“Do you have proof?”oNO1v
w0q“I have suspicions, though not tangible evidence.”uVjZ
j24yqq1“Then are you going to accuse a duke of the realm of being corrupt without proof? Are you insane?”5cVILZ8
LvinFColor returned to the duke’s face upon hearing “without proof,” but Fernan didn’t even blink.Rtr
oh6mo9“Precisely for that reason—I don’t need it.”Ka4sl1o
0Mcv“What did you say?”zXSS
MonM“Your Highness, have you forgotten who we are, those standing before you?”MCga
TUtMXOrThe sound of Fernan’s fingers echoed in the room, setting a steady rhythm.aG1pp
l64“Aint Armian, enemy of demons, hero of humanity. If he says you’re corrupt, then, Your Highness, you are.”4jA5
uuVNo.41PO
ykjLNot even Aint could declare someone an enemy of humanity without solid proof.QtP
Z17“And I am Fernan Pellenberg, heir to the richest family and with the most newspapers on the continent.”EjOy
rAzw2But if circumstantial evidence existed, and Fernan decided to fan the suspicions—what would happen?mpJ
dFTeEven more so now, after Fernan had just defeated two demons and was hailed as a hero of Frazia.jSzBH
TbxN0“Are you trying to manipulate the situation to make me into a corrupt?”f9dK3L
DvsJp0S“We’re just stating the truth. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”MF4qcyH
njwh8“Are you threatening me?”kncZ
fqZ“As I said before, I believe Your Highness allied with the corrupt, and when the situation became complicated, you wanted to eliminate them using our hands. Isn’t that so?”LRNdxd
7UHFernan’s voice turned icy.34qa
o203yThe problem was that not even he understood why.zQPf
VKedIt made no sense for the duke to ally with the corrupt.U5f
uHS“What was your motive?”kAI
7yS2B“……”PblhC
BGuEMThe duke remained silent.KKtv
i5mIt was unclear whether he had accepted his fate or had simply surrendered to reality.iyq
jOIBWA while passed before he spoke.B2VkNYA
kJTq“And if I weren’t corrupt, what would you do?”HIw2m6
wOfsx“The fact that you say that is already proof that you are.”1RR6TC
Z9iwK3T“Ridiculous. But the funny thing is—for now, your ridiculous statement is right.”GOFySxB
84eNyi5The duke smiled bitterly.cMShED
fLXhxC“You want to know why I allied with the corrupt? It was a long time ago… this kingdom had two princes.”dBM
jtwwyFernan and Aint remained silent, listening to him.Y3PL
opMc“Both were talented. People said it was impossible to decide which one was better.”VxEE9
cQAbBut, in the duke’s opinion, the second prince was slightly superior.sTaW
JiJMkAu“However, the king thought they were equal, so he preferred the eldest son inherit the throne to avoid trouble.”YesPZ
9nWwPs4That’s where the tragedy began.6Ut1
Eco“The second never had a chance. Just because he was born three years later.”twvhfm
8yPDuke Harbert Licatus stroked his beard with a bitter smile.CDLLfos
1Inxn“What do you think?”LL9
FNc0“It must have been frustrating.”TM5
bzyn“It was. I couldn’t accept it. But my father was a much crueler man than I imagined.”pfD8Q
WfP“The late king of Frazia killed all his rebellious siblings…”T6ldT
bnXCLaZ“Exactly. He didn’t want a repeat of that, so he was willing to do anything to prevent another dispute.”fKwgM
CtdCPSvEven eliminate his own son, if necessary.0Fuyfh
U08J“And what do you think I did when I realized his intentions?”QlWDXb
TgKvfI“You gave up your right to the throne to preserve at least something.”9e3
h6ZZW“Wrong.”7x1dBR
YV5The duke shook his head.Vnsv
tM3n“I preferred to attempt rebellion rather than surrender without a fight.”obF
YFgumBut one day, the current king visited him.etvs3vt
h2P“He said, ‘We can’t divide the kingdom in two. If you give me the crown, when the time comes, you’ll inherit it—not my children.’”YPE3c
ZR6That’s how Harbert gave up succession.ME5xn3
dG0MZ“My father, delighted, rewarded me generously. I took care of myself, hoping to outlive my brother.”IMW
yvzxbz2But when the crown prince was born and crowned, everything changed.wlMS
FNZJiF0“Is that answer enough for you?”iqhj
U6GEH“Those who ally with the corrupt never end well. Do you really believe they’ll help fulfill your ambition?”esElHKr
oyfZ“Of course not. But when you age, stubbornness grows with you.”IMmR
5hvHe smiled bitterly.BTY
1aL“And so does greed. Most people seek honor in death; I, on the other hand, want power. I want to sit, even for a few days, on the throne that should’ve always been mine.”Inq3iu
hIFHis eyes turned bloodshot.BnN
ylu“That throne is mine! I can’t leave it in the hands of that wasteful fool!”BEx5
8dPOXSFernan understood.ADvK4k
VykHe knew that Frazia’s crown prince was inept, a man of parties and banquets—even while the king lay dying.Qp6
LzEhp6zA weak ruler surrounded by flatterers.GNjK
vOwAnd Fernan thought the same—that he would be easier to control.u5yxbAt
Qz0“So you allied with the corrupt and poisoned the king with magic. And when we arrived, your plan was already underway.”XWqNe8Z
QKd6v“Exactly. Ninety percent ambition, ten percent fear of seeing Frazia fall under an incompetent.”HyyE84
xGQoN“At least you’re honest.”kME8U
JqaEPA“Why lie now?”PjL0
o2hoODBThe king was already at death’s door. The duke had no reason to continue allying with the corrupt.36Ye
s1vfEThat’s why he used Aint to eliminate all his accomplices.DugKu
fWDjG“I almost succeeded if I’d known you were so twisted, I would’ve been more careful.”Oom
eEeDuF1Remorse echoed in his voice.mKcFD
1cB“Do as you wish.”wacA3
xUcHXjQ“You don’t intend to resist?”PdJY
MU1RhX5“Resist? How could I face someone who killed two demons?”LNJ5vZd
RUycUWith serene resignation, he lowered his gaze.mULdh
KLY“I suppose execution awaits me.”lKzr
dZX3“No, not exactly.”GUJj
9nICNmlFernan pulled something from his coat—a blank sheet.MwH7qYG
vxt“I believe people don’t change easily. That’s why I don’t trust them. But I always trust contracts.”hke
NcFb“What the hell are you doing?”8wqU
vE5Jh“I’m interested in who the next king of Frazia will be.”Jcfn6
ePmFrazia bordered directly with the Empire, the country closest to Pellenberg.sTAPVv
g4Kd“Humans are fickle. Today they’ll thank you, and tomorrow they’ll stab you. Even the crown prince will be no different.”TyY
l5gptOne day, he would thank him for his help, and the next, he would see Pellenberg as a threat.vPkND
PPQB“So I prefer the throne to go to someone with a clear weakness. It’s more beneficial for my family.”8HH
kS10“Well, aren’t you just pure opportunism.”ZUu
Sspk0B“In this world, there’s no profit without a price.”w5v
YcSThe duke let out a dry laugh.j5kqiyE
4Sa1“Aren’t there seventy-two demons? Perhaps you are the seventy-third.”dhGC
0Jcg“Then Your Highness would be a corrupt.”1u8
wBriWFernan smiled.TzwYxHZ
rr3uBecause he would sign a contract with that demon.veQGQ
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