Chapter 192
Chapter: 192
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 192
>Chapter Title: Sigismund Territory (1)
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After coming to his senses in the carriage, Sungjin spent a while frustrated because he couldn't properly grasp the situation with his companions.
His eyes were wrapped tightly in bandages, making it hard to move around, and for some reason, the Demon King was sulking hard and holed up in his head.
On top of that, Sir Masain had roughly checked Sungjin's condition before abruptly leaving the carriage, and now he was swinging his sword near it as if putting on a show of protest.
'He must really be pissed this time...'
His mood was so foul that the erratic flow of his poorly controlled aura reached even Sungjin.
Sungjin wanted to smack him upside the head, but was holding back because he was a prince? Was that it?
'No, isn't everyone being too much? I did my best in that situation!'
Thud!
Feeling unjustly aggrieved, Sungjin kicked the innocent carriage seat hard.
Fortunately, soon after, Edith brought lunch and gave him a brief rundown of events.
"We've split the group in half. Archduke Sigismund went ahead with us to the barony, while Captain Ilma and most of the Wolf Knights stayed behind at the site."
"Split in half? Why?"
"The archduke suggested it would be best to get you to a doctor in Sigismund Territory as quickly as possible. The others probably haven't left yet because they're handling the aftermath."
That explained why the group's presence had suddenly thinned out so much—he'd thought it was strange.
He'd even wondered if there were casualties.
"By the way, Your Highness! I heard you played a big role in felling that demonkin."
Edith continued as she personally scooped stew for Sungjin, who couldn't see.
"The knights are all buzzing about it? They say Prince Mores formed an aura blade and sliced through that massive demon tree trunk in one stroke!"
Sungjin mumbled around his food, thinking awkwardly.
'...No, I just chopped at the tree really hard.'
How on earth did it get exaggerated into that? Aura blade all of a sudden?
And Edith, you watch me train every day—do you really believe that stuff straight up?
"Lady Claudia was especially proud, boasting nonstop that Your Highness is a natural genius... Here, ahh."
Before he could even respond, stew was shoved into his mouth. Sungjin chewed in utter bewilderment.
Why was Lady Claudia, of all people who should know better, swept up in such nonsense?
"And that Laurent guy? He was so impressed by Your Highness's exploits that he locked himself away with his lyre last night, saying it reminded him of some heroic poem!"
"......!"
Sungjin was horrified.
What? That ridiculous nonsense was getting turned into a song to immortalize it forever? With Laurent's crappy sentimentality on top?
"Hehe. Aren't you excited to see what masterpiece comes out of it, Your Highness? Ahh!"
"......"
A prince who had just begun learning aura single-handedly felled a demonkin that even the Wolf Knights' captain couldn't defeat—with an aura blade?
That absurd tale was going to echo through the capital?
'Anyone who hears it would laugh it off as blatant prince-worshipping propaganda!'
What an embarrassment! For something he did to minimize damage on their side, this was too cruel a price.
Sungjin lost his appetite completely.
Afterward, Edith kept offering him stew and chattering on unprompted.
Right after Sungjin severed the growth core, the demon tree had thankfully been reverse-summoned to the demon realm without further incident.
Aside from Sungjin's severe eye injury, there were no serious casualties—not even a single person tainted by demonic energy—so their efforts hadn't been in vain.
"Unfortunately, it seems the Milo Merchant Company was wiped out. That's why the knights stayed behind to recover the bodies and salvage any preserved goods. Inquisitor Lady Valerie stayed with them as a precaution against any contingencies."
"Hmm......"
He'd clearly seen the caravan master alive.
Giacomo Milo must have slipped away in the chaos of battle.
Now that he'd heard the gist, Sungjin was starting to push away lunch when there was a knock at the carriage door.
"Your Highness. It's Orden. How are you feeling?"
"Fine. What is it?"
"If you're up for it, I have something urgent to discuss."
"Yeah, come in."
Orden and his subordinate Hermann entered and sat across from Sungjin. Edith discreetly set down the utensils and left.
As soon as the door closed, Orden bowed politely to Sungjin.
"First, allow me to express my gratitude, Your Highness. The Wolf Knights alone couldn't have handled the demon tree, and even if we had, it would have cost us dearly. Now I owe you another debt."
Hmm. Sungjin hadn't even thought of this incident as something that created debts since they'd all been caught up in it together, but this straightforward guy was racking them up with interest all on his own.
A most welcome development.
"So, what was the urgent matter?"
"It's about the follow-up investigation."
The initial report Orden had filed with the monster response team: the Milo Merchant Company was colluding with the Shadow Church to distribute unidentified tea across the territory, so please take action.
But this incident had muddied the waters a bit.
The root cause, the Milo Merchant Company, had been annihilated by the demon tree. So didn't that wrap things up? That was Orden's thinking.
But Sungjin shook his head.
"Not yet, Archduke. Last night, I definitely saw the caravan master, Giacomo Milo. Things were too urgent with the demon tree for me to mention it."
"...Is that true?"
"Yeah, he seemed to have escaped unscathed. As long as he's alive, nothing's over."
Orden seemed a bit surprised but didn't doubt Sungjin's word much.
"If that's the case, the Milo caravan master has probably returned to Regina."
Hermann chimed in while clinking utensils as he tidied them.
"Alone, over that long distance? Possible?"
"It's not impossible. Didn't Your Highness previously suspect he might be a Demon Contractor?"
Right.
That was intel from the Schmidt branch chief at the logistics relay station. The Demon King had even checked the Devil's Ledger personally, so it was likely solid.
Sungjin had tipped off Dasha and a few others involved in the investigation.
"He's kept a low profile under our watch so far, but now that he's lost his entire caravan, he has nothing to lose. If a Demon Contractor starts properly tapping that power, they say he could pull off things ordinary people can't even imagine."
Sungjin nodded and asked,
"Then what's the basis for him going back to Regina?"
"Because that's where the logistics relay station is. All customs records are there, and he could get emergency aid from the Merchant Alliance's funds. As the hub for all northern continent logistics, he could even assemble a provisional caravan with urgently needed goods."
Despite the heavy losses, as long as the caravan master lived, the Milo Merchant Company endured. It was a robust outfit that wouldn't crumble from one failed venture.
Thus, the Milo Company still had an obligation to supply essentials to Sigismund Territory under their exclusive contract.
Moreover, whatever scheme he had brewing with Sigismund Territory, Hermann explained he wouldn't abandon years of planning so easily.
"In other words, if we investigate around the territory and wait, Giacomo Milo will come to Sigismund Territory of his own accord. No need for us to hunt him down."
"Yes. Probably."
Hmm. Lost in thought, Sungjin absentmindedly accepted the stew held to his lips.
Munch munch.
"And Your Highness, there's actually something even more important to consult you on."
Orden, who had been silent until then, seemed to check the surroundings before speaking quietly to Sungjin.
Hearing him out, Sungjin startled and asked,
"Survivors?"
"Yes. Shockingly, some people were found alive under the demon tree."
Alive in a place where just touching it would erode a normal person? How?
'...Ah, right!'
Sungjin recalled glimpsing the demon tree's structure overall when he first shared the Demon King's demonic sight.
He'd definitely seen shadows that looked like living souls under the tree.
He'd completely forgotten amid the chaos afterward.
"The reason the Wolf Knights stayed behind is not just to recover bodies and goods, but to secure those survivors first."
"......"
From his cautious demeanor, they probably weren't from the caravan.
Found right under the demon tree—they might even be the culprits who summoned it.
Sir Sharon had said the demon tree was also called the [Tree of Repentance], and the group suspected of colluding with the Milo Company was the Penitence Church.
In that case.
"Remnants of the Penitence Church, by any chance?"
Hermann exclaimed in admiration from the side.
"Yes, exactly, Your Highness! From their attire and circumstances, they're suspected to be Penitence Church!"
And whoosh. A spoonful of stew slid into his mouth as if in praise.
Munch munch.
What? Something had felt off since earlier.
But before he could think on it, Orden added from nearby.
"That's precisely what I wanted to consult you about, Your Highness. We should interrogate them to uncover the link between the demon tree summoning and the Milo Company, but hauling them straight to Sigismund Territory carries risks."
"Risks?"
"Yes. Someone in the territory might... intercept them midway, or they might escape..."
Orden suddenly stammered, but Sungjin grasped his concerns perfectly.
He was factoring in the border count interfering with the interrogation or even releasing them on some no-charges technicality.
And if they publicly brought them into the territory only for something to go wrong, it could draw suspicion from the Heresy Tribunal of Shadow Church ties.
"...Inquisitor Lady Valerie stayed behind for that reason."
At least on the surface, keep them under inquisitor control, while figuring out whether to detain them outside the territory or smuggle them in discreetly.
"Truly perceptive, Your Highness. It's so convenient consulting you—no need for lengthy explanations."
Along with Hermann's amused praise came another something slipping into his mouth.
Munch munch.
"...Huh?"
Suddenly, Sungjin realized the source of the odd feeling he'd had and unconsciously stopped chewing.
Then came the clink clink of utensils nearby. Soon, he sensed via presence that something was held right to his face again.
"...So, Hermann, what's this about?"
"Ah, you noticed, Your Highness?"
Haha, Hermann laughed affably and continued.
"My apologies. You left so much food, I fell into an old habit without thinking..."
He explained sheepishly.
"Truth is, I've been feeding my younger siblings instead of our busy parents since I was a kid. Distracting kids with other topics and sneaking bites in is the most reliable way. They finish a whole bowl without realizing."
"...Hermann? What the hell is this?!"
Orden's panicked voice came from the side. He'd been so focused on the conversation he hadn't noticed a thing.
Did this guy realize how dangerous it was to shove anything into imperial royalty's mouth?
Sungjin gaped in disbelief when clink clink—the sound of scraping the stew bowl's bottom rang out.
"There, just one more spoonful and you're done, Your Highness."
He wasn't giving up to the end.
Hermann. A subtly weird guy.