Chapter 145
Chapter 145
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.36 – The Knight Hates Love Triangles (3)
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“Hnggg...”
The blonde girl nodded off, her body tilting to the side.
Her eyes were half-closed, drowsiness pouring over her, her face on the verge of sleep at any moment.
Was it post-meal lethargy from the hearty feast, or perhaps she was just the type who napped easily during the day? But looking into her hazy eyes, it seemed neither explanation quite fit.
Thud.
Just before the girl could topple over sideways, the waiting maids caught her with gentle hands and carried her away.
“Mmm...”
[Arin-ah, you're embarrassing me so much...]
The girl drooled in deep slumber, while the ghost girl covered her face with both hands, wishing she could crawl into a hole.
With that, the girl was escorted out, and Lee Han blinked toward the pitiful beauty sleeping with her mouth agape.
Why's she suddenly acting like she's got narcolepsy?
And soon enough.
“...What did you do?”
He began to suspect the food he'd eaten.
The duke responded without any need to hide it.
“Just a bit of medicine, that's all. No need to worry. It's an herb that fills the body with vitality after a good night's sleep.”
“...Hmm, doesn't 'medicine' sound a bit off there?”
“No helping it. I didn't want her listening in on our talk.”
“For reference, did I eat that herb too?”
“You had more than your share, actually. I didn't expect you'd polish off a whole cake, yet you seem fine.”
“...So that's why you didn't touch it.”
For the record, Lee Han had devoured about ten servings of dessert as well.
He wondered if diabetes might kick in, but ever since consuming the elixir, his heart, liver, and other organs had become abnormally resilient.
No amount of sugar would bring on diabetes now, and with such detoxification prowess, herbs or poisons alike were no different from greens to him.
...Obesity might still be a risk, though.
“Don't misunderstand. I had no intent to harm you. For a knight with such vigorous life force, it might even help.”
“Expensive?”
“Not really. Just one of the ten immortal herbs the sultan favors.”
“...That's a long-winded way of saying money can't buy it.”
“Is that how it sounded?”
He already felt the lavish hospitality weighing on him, and now it was even more burdensome.
But for now, he set that aside.
Because.
I'm the top dog here!
Lee Han decided to act boldly.
The duke wanted something from him and was treating him well to get it.
No need to cower.
...Or so he told himself.
“I'm about to discuss things with you that I couldn't with my foster daughter. That's why I put her to sleep, so please keep this secret.”
“...Then I don't want to hear it.”
“No, you must. Otherwise, why would I hand over that inquisitor girl to you?”
“......”
Hmm...
Am I the underdog here?
No matter how he looked at it, he didn't feel like the one in control, and sweat beaded on his brow.
“—You already know my wife has 'passed' away, right?”
“......”
“If you know that, this talk should be straightforward.”
“Ahem...”
The conversation started off heavy right from the gate.
What? Trying to make that meal sit even worse?
Lucky his digestion was top-notch, or this would have been a stomachache waiting to happen. Lee Han had no desire to hear more, but Duke Blake continued.
“Then do you know this too? There were many suspicious aspects to my wife's death.”
“...I'm not sure about th—”
“Then listen well now. My wife was a fairy. Not just any fairy, but one from the natural realm who took human form.”
“Th-that's impressive?”
“Rare indeed.”
Lee Han didn't know much about it, but natural realm fairies were akin to spirits or even land gods.
As such, they had once been worshipped as deities, and even in this era of rampant religion, some regions still revered them as gods.
Especially since Pendragon's founding involved a fairy, their authority held great weight on the southern continent.
Thus, Duke Blake's marriage to such a fairy was undoubtedly extraordinary, and her death a profound historical tragedy.
“Fairies have long been targets of envy. Their mysteries remain largely unsolved, and kings and power-mongers still covet those secrets for immortality or power. One mage even targeted my wife under the guise of 'research' on fairies.”
“...What happened to that spellcaster—no, mage?”
“He's living in the duke's family torture chamber. Quite tenacious, that one.”
“......”
“Anyway, that's why her death had so many inconsistencies.”
“...I heard it was an accident.”
“It was... but really. Does it make sense for the duchess to die in an 'accident'?”
“......”
“She was guarded by countless people, her escorts handpicked elites I'd selected myself. And yet...”
“......”
...Lee Han could already guess what came next.
And yet she died anyway, so foul play is suspected.
Clearly, there was more to the story than the public knew.
And sure enough.
“As you probably suspect, my wife was harmed by some shady individuals. They neutralized all the duke's guards and... killed her.”
Bam!
“......”
For a moment, it felt like his rage had triggered an explosion.
Rumble!
A tangible aura.
A high-level realm where knights of a certain caliber could manifest their killing intent or battle spirit into physical form.
Depending on its use, it offered better versatility than Sword Resonance and top-tier destructive power.
But right now, the duke's aura was...
Just releasing it is cracking the marble floor?
Ha...
It was on a whole other level from what other knights achieved.
If theirs was gunpowder at best, his was nitroglycerin.
Just brushing against it stung like a burn.
It was ridiculous enough to draw a hollow laugh.
I had a hunch already, but...
This man was insanely strong.
The kingdom's top swordsman wasn't an empty title, and for a fleeting moment, Lee Han wondered if he could rival an Aura User.
And this powerhouse, still radiating his aura unchecked,
“I don't know how many were involved in her death. But I could pinpoint those who killed her.”
—By mobilizing the full might of House Galahad!
It was a chilling follow-up.
Meaning a force stronger than the royal family's had been unleashed to uncover the truth.
“And finally, I narrowed it down to those who did it.”
Tap.
“......”
“A group claiming to follow the [Angels].”
“...Hmm.”
The duke produced a cross stained thick with blood.
Not just any cross, but an ominous inverted one, and Lee Han already knew what it signified.
“A knight who collapsed the tunnels would naturally know about these fanatics, right?”
“...How much do you know, exactly?”
“Might be faster to ask what I don't know.”
“......”
The Blood Crusaders.
Suspected of summoning the Demon King the previous day, linked to the Black Moon Assassins who occupied the tunnels and kidnapped him as a child.
Now learning they'd even killed the duke's wife, Lee Han squeezed his eyes shut.
...Romance fantasy tropes gonna trope.
It was one of those classic romance fantasy setups.
An organization assassinating the duke's, grand duke's, or emperor's beloved wife.
And most such groups were
Church factions or royal elders as the real culprits.
It fit the clichés to a T, leaving Lee Han thinking it had to happen here too.
...And if
it follows the cliché script, then maybe...
No sooner had he dreaded one of romance fantasy's most frustrating tropes—the so-called 'sweet potato' plot—emerging from the duke's mouth,
“Do you know what Irene Windler, my foster daughter, and Judia Pierre, the temple's heretic inquisitor, have in common?”
“...What?”
“They both carry the 'trace of a fairy.'”
“......”
...Suspicion toward his stepdaughter.
One of the worst romance clichés had reared its head, and though Lee Han's meal had fully digested, his stomach still felt queasy.
Whether Lee Han craved a palate cleanser or not, the duke pressed on.
“Irene Windler shows 'affinity with nature,' while Judia Pierre lacks 'the love of god.' Both traits fairies possess.”
“...You mean her magic and divine power?”
“Sharp one.”
“But... does that even make sense?”
Affinity with nature likely meant dual attributes, and lack of god's love pointed to divine power issues, but...
It screamed overinterpretation or paranoia.
Irene Windler's talents were exceptional, sure, but not unheard of. Divine power? Anyone devout enough could wield it.
To Lee Han, it just seemed like wild delusions, but the duke countered,
“But having peers—especially women—with such era-defining talents is rare.”
“......”
Endless suspicion poured out.
“And that's not all. Irene Windler was said to change personality drastically as a teen at the orphanage. From arrogant to gentle, even caring for the other children.”
“...Maybe she just matured late.”
“Possible. But what about this? Judia Pierre was a mere street urchin, rescued by Cardinal Raphael out of pity, entered the temple, then skyrocketed to heretic inquisitor. Yet she hid her age and gender despite those feats... Coincidence?”
“Hmm...”
“Seems like she's desperately hiding something.”
“......”
...The duke's suspicions did seem plausible at first glance.
Women the same age as peers appearing right after his wife's death.
Exactly 19, matching the years since her passing.
Plus extraordinary talents hinting at fairy traits and stunning beauty...!
Not suspecting them would be foolish.
“That's why I want her. Judia Pierre. She's beyond suspicious, and investigations linked her to this fanatic group. All that's left is to ask her directly. If she answers well, I won't treat her harshly. So hand her over.”
“......”
“Not a bad deal. I'll compensate generously. If you want...”
“—Now I see it's not just your eyes that've gone mad.”
“...?”
...In that instant, the entire room froze.
As if the air itself had stopped, or some such illusion?
[[..........]]
Ever had over a hundred piercing gazes lock onto you?
If not, count your blessings.
...It'd leave trauma.
But Lee Han just
“Ah, I guess I said that thought out loud...”
Grinned sheepishly—or brazenly, depending.
And with the situation already in shambles,
“Hey, old man. Take a cold shower and snap out of it. At your age, don't go chasing weird conspiracies.”
“......”
“I wondered what you'd say.”
“...Huh?”
He resolved to go even harder.
To show this frustrating old man what a barrage of brutal facts really meant.