Chapter 317
Chapter: 317
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 317
>Chapter Title: Change (2)
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The trial date for the Giacomo Milo incident was set.
The criminal hadn't been apprehended yet, but that wasn't particularly important. In fact, his death sentence was practically confirmed, and the cleanup of the Milo Merchant Guild was nearly complete.
It was less a trial and more a public announcement of his punishment.
"Thanks to Prince Logan, the interrogations of the criminals are proceeding very smoothly right now. At this rate, we'll probably uncover additional charges and evidence against Giacomo Milo before the trial date."
Prince Logan's face darkened slightly as he listened to Inquisitor Valerie's report. He knew all too well that the "smooth interrogations" Sir Valerie mentioned were horrific processes filled with blood and screams.
Moreover, the fates of the criminals currently under interrogation had been starkly divided by Logan's designations.
But Sir Valerie, oblivious as ever, grinned and added,
"Didn't Your Highness drastically reduce the number of suspects? The interrogators, who were bracing for a busy period, ended up completely deflated because of it."
"......"
"That said, it's not like they're slacking off—the fired-up interrogators are pouring even more time and effort into torturing the few remaining criminals... Gahk?"
The lightweight inquisitor rolled on the floor after Seongjin suddenly stomped hard on his foot.
As the entire Monster Task Force startled at the sudden commotion, Seongjin snatched Valerie's report with a nonchalant expression and scolded him.
"You're hopeless. Is that really something worth reporting on purpose? Sir Valerie, stick to the key points. You've always got too much useless chatter."
"No, Your Highness..."
"I'll check the rest myself, so go rest."
You'll have a hard time moving for a while. I infused some aura into that stomp, after all. Not that I have any personal grudge against you, of course.
Psst-psst—
While Doctor Jibril sprayed some unfortunate perfume on Sir Valerie's foot, Seongjin flipped through the report, checking the main points.
Perhaps thanks to his focus on forging Grace Knights, he now had the literacy to read official documents like this without issue.
Then, a particular passage in the prisoners' confession records caught Seongjin's eye.
"Huh? There's a mention of a workshop here?"
"Workshop?"
"Yeah. They say they received raw materials from the guild master once a month and delivered them to this 'workshop,' but they had no idea what they were for."
"So the guild was producing and distributing their own goods."
Seongjin reviewed everything he'd been briefed on so far. They'd fully grasped the Milo Guild's inventory and transaction records. There was only one item whose source they hadn't identified.
Logan quickly caught on to what Seongjin meant.
"...It's about the herbal tea, isn't it?"
"Yeah, that's what it seems like, right?"
The herbal tea's origin had been shrouded in mystery. It had only been supplied in small quantities to the Sigismund territory, and no one in the guild knew its source.
The most promising lead was the Scarfapino family, who had initially brokered the exclusive deal between Sigismund and the Milo Guild.
'When Orden first commissioned the herbal tea, there was evidence that Ricardo Scarfapino had personally delivered the goods in the early distribution phase...'
But it was strange. Despite the intensive investigations, no evidence linked the Milo Guild to the Scarfapinos. It was as if someone had meticulously erased all traces in between.
'Of course, Sigurd Sigurson wouldn't have handled it so sloppily...'
The bounty on Giacomo Milo had been issued after he unexpectedly abandoned Ricardo and Isabella and fled. It couldn't have been his doing.
Most likely, the Scarfapinos had pulled strings. As the continent's wealthiest family, they would have preemptively eliminated any chance of being implicated in demon contractor charges.
Perhaps the Heresy Tribunal's internal reluctance to stir up a powerful house had aided them.
'Who was it? Which Scarfapino pulled the strings?'
Just then, the face of Domenico Scarfapino, the eldest son Seongjin had encountered at the birthday celebration, flashed in his mind. That coldly impassive face, similar yet dissimilar to Isabella's.
'Maybe I should poke at that guy first.'
After organizing his thoughts for a moment, Seongjin spoke up.
"Anyway, this is the only lead on the herbal tea. We need to dig more into this workshop before the trial."
Logan responded as if he'd been waiting.
"I'll look into it."
"You? Aren't you busy? What about the knight order duties?"
"I can manage both. I'll just sleep less and handle it in bits. The Lirium knights are helping out a lot too."
"......"
Seongjin stared at Logan in disbelief. This guy, who already overworked himself relying solely on holy power and aura, was taking on more?
"Besides, something this deeply hidden probably won't be easy to find through open investigations. It'll be faster if I move alone than deploying inquisitors."
Of course, Logan was extremely sensitive to magi and could detect lies like a ghost. Plus, as a Decaron Knight, he could conceal his presence better than any veteran spy.
But was it just his imagination? Seongjin felt like Logan was rushing the investigation recklessly. So he asked point-blank.
"What's got you in such a hurry lately? Something going on? You heading out to subjugate again?"
Sure enough, Logan flinched and looked at Seongjin.
"How did you know?"
...What? For real?
"It's not finalized yet. But the Cyprus Alliance has been steadily requesting sea monster subjugations. If they're looking for a lightly deployable force right away, it'll inevitably be the Lirium detachment, so me leading the subjugation team is basically a done deal."
"......"
"Once the Synod grants formal approval soon, I'll be even busier with preparations. So I want to wrap up what I can before then."
"No way. Is there no other talent in this huge empire besides you?"
It was utterly ridiculous.
He kept claiming he was seventy-something, but anyone could see Logan was still a fresh-faced kid! How long had it been since he returned home, and they were sending him off to subjugate far away again?
"Tell someone else to go! There are plenty of knight orders lounging around, right?"
Logan looked flustered and cautioned Seongjin.
"Lee Seongjin. A prince shouldn't say that in front of others. The empire's knights are all diligently fulfilling their assigned duties. Don't insult their hard work."
"What? And you're worried about the other knights now?"
"It's not just them—the empire's position is at stake too. Think about it. A massive maritime power like the Cyprus Alliance specifically requesting the empire for monster subjugation means we have to consider that."
Calming the indignant Seongjin, Logan continued steadily.
"They don't want half-hearted help right now. No matter our actual forces, they want the continent's most renowned subjugation team."
"The subjugation team's reputation matters more?"
"Yes. It saves face for the ones requesting aid, and the empire easily maintains political superiority over them. Abroad, the Lirium detachment's prestige is practically the empire's own. And..."
Logan hesitated, then smiled faintly—almost sadly.
"Many Ortona refugees have flowed into Cyprus, and that's important to me too. They're struggling at the bottom of the fishing industry, barely scraping by day to day. Subjugating sea monsters to stabilize fishing is ultimately for their benefit."
"......"
Seongjin was completely speechless. Not because he accepted Logan's explanation, but because it was even more absurd than before.
'No, who are you to carry the empire's prestige and the fallen nation's people all on your own?'
Was that a burden one person could bear? Was it worth it for someone as talented as you to burn out before your life even blooms?
You finally got a new life! Can't you lean on your father's influence, enjoy your princely status, and live a little for your own sake?
Seongjin couldn't understand Logan at all. All that bubbled up inside him was raw frustration, spilling out as unfiltered criticism.
"...You're so stubborn."
"Huh?"
"You, man! You're really stubborn!"
"......"
Logan blinked and stared at Seongjin. For some reason, the words gave him a strange sense of déjà vu.
But the thought didn't linger long.
-You are pointlessly stubborn.
Long ago, a boy had sharply accused him of being stubborn in that same tone. And now, a boy with the exact same gray eyes stood before him.
"Haha."
Logan laughed, looking somehow relieved.
"Looks like it's true after all. Someone else said the exact same thing to me before. If the evaluation hasn't changed, people don't change easily, huh."
Of course, that nonchalant response only twisted Seongjin's guts further.
Don't laugh, you idiot!
"Sir Sharon!"
At Seongjin's sudden call, the exorcist—who'd been buried in paperwork—looked up. His weary face bore the usual dark circles under his eyes.
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"After Giacomo Milo's trial, you'll have some free time, right?"
"Yeees. Probably. Unless Your Highness assigns me something else..."
"Good. Then I'll give you a new mission."
Seongjin nodded firmly.
"I order you to investigate the Cyprus sea monsters. Go with the Lirium detachment. Investigate everything you can about the monsters appearing at sea!"
"...Yes?"
Monster investigation?
The exorcist blinked in confusion at Seongjin's out-of-left-field order.
"Um, Your Highness..."
Then the red-haired inquisitor, who had been healing his own foot with holy power in the corner, raised his hand.
"If I may, the Monster Task Force has a clearly defined scope. It's for [monsters] in general, not sea monsters, isn't it?"
"So?"
"Of course, we'll follow Your Highness's orders without hesitation, but coordinating with other knight orders is another matter. If we don't clearly define our roles in the sea subjugation and our collaborative relationship with the subjugation team, it could cause big problems later."
It was a valid point.
Even with the Giacomo Milo trial, the Heresy Tribunal was already displeased about the Monster Task Force quietly inserting itself into the demon contractor case.
"What nonsense is this? Sir Valerie. What do you take me for? Do you think I'm the type to misuse a bureau under the administration for personal whims?"
...Aren't you, though?
Sir Valerie couldn't quite ask, wearing a awkward expression. But Seongjin was brazen.
"Investigating sea monsters is an extension of the Monster Task Force's duties. Obviously."
"...Yes?"
"Think about it, Sir Valerie. How can you be so sure the sea monsters that have appeared so far are truly sea monsters, and not unidentified monsters? Can you swear to that?"
"Yes? Your Highness, but sea monsters are sea monsters. They've been known as such since ancient times..."
"Assuming they're sea monsters just because they've always been called that is incredibly narrow-minded. Take the Glacier Trolls, for example. They've long been classified as demonic beasts from the Demonic Realm, but can you say without a doubt now that they're just simple sea monsters? They have zero magi, after all."
"...Huh?"
Now that he thought about it, that did make sense?
Seongjin drove the point home to the inquisitor, whose confidence had evaporated, in a cold tone.
"Sir Valerie, it's only been a short while since access to the Otherworld Apocalypse was permitted. The Synod has finally acknowledged the limits of scriptural interpretations and begun labeling deviant entities outside traditional sea monster criteria as [monsters]."
"......"
"So, what is the Monster Task Force's ultimate mission? Do you think we're still just a cleanup crew for monster incidents?"
Before he knew it, not just Sir Valerie, but Logan, Sir Sharon, and even Doctor Jibril were all hanging on Seongjin's words with overwhelmed expressions.
"No, absolutely not. We're pioneers stepping into uncharted territory. Our true mission is to clarify the blurry line between sea monsters and monsters, establish criteria, and lead the way for others, isn't it?"
Just then, a sigh-like voice echoed in his head. It was the Demon King, who had been unusually quiet lately.
[You're the first lunatic I've seen put this much effort into such nonsense...]
Shut up!
Seongjin felt a pang inwardly but kept a straight face as he added to Sir Valerie,
"What do you say? Will you go with Sir Sharon too? You're the one who grasps the Otherworld Apocalypse best right now, Sir Valerie. You'd be the most skilled at comparative analysis between monsters and sea monsters, right?"
"Uh......"
The lightweight inquisitor looked tempted.
"......?"
As everyone wondered, Seongjin smugly eyed Logan, who still hadn't caught on.
Well, Logan. Take Sir Sharon and Father with you this time.
Every time you overwork or pull stunts like this, Father will happily flick your head, I'm sure.