Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: The Beginning of the Crack
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After that, Lainen had to move to keep his promise to Kanibella. First, he summoned Kashan and explained everything.
“What do you think?”
At his words, Kashan replied in a hesitant voice.
“……Honestly, I want to tell you to give up.”
“Why?”
“Why hasn’t the culprit’s identity been revealed all this time?”
The opponent was a big player. If even the Remachi House’s intelligence network hadn’t caught wind of them, it meant they were skilled at hiding information, and they were a large-scale yet secretive group.
‘If these people are spread across the entire continent…….’
They had already proven their terror by attacking royalty. But what was even more frightening was that they remained hidden.
That was why Kashan feared that Lainen might provoke them and suffer the consequences. To him, Lainen was important, not Kanibella. He was even angry at her for making such a request.
She was someone who couldn’t leave him anyway, for the sake of her own safety. So he thought it would be best if he just refused.
‘But this guy isn’t the type to do that.’
Kashan sighed. They were both obsessed with each other to that extent.
“Even if I tell you not to do it, you’ll do it anyway, right?”
“……And if I do?”
“Then use ‘Erical.’”
Erical, the secret intelligence organization under Lainen.
Erical consisted of people loyal to Lainen and skilled in gathering information. It was a secret agency known only to a very select few besides Lainen and Kashan.
Even the emperor knew of its existence but not what the group actually did.
If Lainen had two arms, Kashan was the right, and Erical was the left. Erical had never once disappointed him.
However, Erical’s current leader Vuite aside, all members were out on assignments. Lainen wondered why Kashan was suggesting he summon them despite knowing that.
“You wouldn’t want to expose yourself. But I’m your close aide. If I move, you’ll be exposed too.”
The Remachi House’s intelligence capabilities were immense, but they were still one large entity, so any movement would draw eyes. The assassination of the former queen of Rasoni Kingdom was a cold case, and with a major conspiracy tied to it, getting caught would be dangerous.
Lainen pretended otherwise, but he cherished his people, and Kashan was his closest confidant. Losing him would hurt deeply.
Moreover, Lainen was the crown prince. If he died, it was over. Libus existed as a contingency, but the emperor’s desired heir for magic was Lainen himself.
“Good idea.”
“What’s the point of building an organization if not to use it for things like this? And Erical excels at this kind of work.”
“I know, so stop it.”
“Then I’ll summon Vuite for now.”
With that, Kashan immediately brought in a man. The man had an overall ordinary appearance. Removing his face-covering mask, he bowed politely to Lainen.
“You summoned me, Your Highness.”
“Yes, Vuite.”
Vuite was the head of Erical. While Kashan officially assisted Lainen, Vuite provided necessary information from the shadows. He was the perfect man to call when dark channels were needed.
“I have a task for you.”
“Command me.”
“From now on, investigate the Rasoni Kingdom fire incident from six years ago.”
The Rasoni Kingdom fire incident. In that event six years prior, the queen had died, and the princess had fallen into a critical condition. Though arson was confirmed as the cause, the perpetrator remained unidentified.
“Is the information gathered by the Remachi House insufficient?”
“Well, the info our house can collect is mostly from legitimate channels. And given our position, we can’t exactly scour back alleys for it, can we?”
“……You’re right.”
Vuite thought for a long moment before speaking to Lainen.
“What’s the deadline?”
“There’s no set deadline. But report to me immediately if even a small clue emerges.”
“Yes, understood.”
Vuite bowed to Lainen and withdrew. Lainen turned to Kashan at his side.
“Perfect timing. I have something for you to do as well.”
“Something for me?”
“From now on, track down the whereabouts of a knight named Lukamin.”
“Lukamin Takirai, captain of the Rasoni Kingdom’s First Knight Order? That guy’s alive?”
“Yes. Bee told me directly.”
[Lukamin went back to Rasoni Kingdom to investigate. We agreed to share the findings, but contact’s been cut off since some point. Sorry, but could you find him? Please.]
Kashan was shocked. Not only was a supposedly dead man alive, but he’d slipped through the house’s intelligence net. But if Lainen said he was alive, it was true. And Lukamin’s survival was important.
“I’ll use the house’s people to find that knight right away.”
“Good. I’d appreciate your efforts.”
“Don’t underestimate our house’s intelligence.”
Kashan smirked. Lainen lifted the corner of his mouth in response.
“I’m counting on you. I have high expectations.”
Meanwhile, Vuite went straight to the Erical members and ordered them to investigate the full details of the fire incident. He also received the materials collected by the Remachi House from Kashan.
“Hmm…….”
He had a gut feeling this investigation would drag on. And that Princess Ransien and Count Astro were connected somehow, through some channel.
After poring over the documents for a while, Vuite commanded the few remaining members.
“From now on, investigate all organizations on this continent. The closer to the back alleys, the better.”
Investigating all of Rasoni Kingdom would be ideal, but it risked exposure even if done covertly. No matter that the empire was the continent’s hegemon, this was Lainen’s personal matter. Escalating to diplomatic disputes would be trouble.
So they had to be extra careful. Starting small and working up would surely yield a big lead.
‘I don’t know why His Highness is suddenly interested in an incident from six years ago…….’
Only Lainen and Kashan knew of Kanibella’s origins. Thus, Vuite didn’t understand why Lainen was digging into Rasoni’s past events he’d once ignored.
But if it was his lord’s wish, he would do it. With that thought, the investigation began.
* * *
‘I’ve taken one step toward revenge against those who killed my mother.’
Watching the falling snowflakes, Kanibella thought so. The investigation dragged on, exceeding a year. She turned nineteen.
She used to wonder often if she could have survived this long. Of course, that was when things weren’t so safe now—the memory of even thinking that had faded.
She had someone more precious than anything by her side. And now, it would be two instead of one.
She trembled. What they had desperately wished for. But, but, would he be happy about it?
“Lainen.”
She approached Lainen, who was getting ready. As their love deepened, they often exercised under the moonlight until dawn.
But lately, she’d been complaining of fatigue and dozing off at odd times. So he was making an effort not to bother her at night, worried about her increased sleep.
“What’s wrong? Are you hurting somewhere?”
“Pfft! No. I’m perfectly healthy.”
“Then what is it?”
To Lainen, Kanibella was everything. So he couldn’t help being sensitive to even minor changes in her condition.
“W-Well…….”
Soon her face flushed red, and she stammered, unable to speak easily. Seeing her like that, he grew worried it might really be something wrong with her health.
“What’s going…….”
“I’m pregnant!”
His worried expression froze as he opened his mouth. Her bombshell declaration left his mind blank.
“Y-You don’t like it?”
“N-No, that’s not it…….”
He was just too shocked. Too shocked. He couldn’t believe that the fruit of their love was growing in the body of the woman he cherished. And the happiness surging since they met left him dizzy.
That was all.
He was overjoyed. Satisfaction and bliss filled his entire body. He hugged her, spinning around for a long time before collapsing onto the bed. He was dizzy from the spins, but his heart pounded more from happiness.
“I’m happy.”
“We’ll be even happier from now on.”
Lainen whispered. Tears welled up in her eyes at his words. His sweet words made her feel as if only happiness awaited them ahead.
And Lainen felt the same. But that was truly difficult. He realized it because of an official document Kashan brought.
That day was different from usual. Kashan discarded any pretense of dignity as minister of state to deliver the urgent news quickly. Reporting this took precedence.
“I’ve come to see Your Highness.”
At that moment, Lainen was in the middle of approving documents in his office. He looked at the panting Kashan with slight bewilderment. He knew Kashan hated running with a passion.
“What’s going on?”
“Urgent news.”
“Urgent news?”
“That knight Lukamin is dead.”
“……What?”
He thought Kashan was joking. But Kashan’s expression was deadly serious.
“Give it here.”
He read the document’s contents carefully.
“Queen consort assassination?”
“The charge is that, but it felt off, so I looked into it. The queen consort was poisoned. And at the time, that knight had nothing on him but his sword.”
“Frame job. Someone intentionally killed him.”
“Yeah.”
“Who the hell…….”
* * *
A candle flame flickered in the darkness. A silhouette emerged. The person, gender indiscernible, whispered in anger.
“This bastard dares try to uncover our identity? I’ll make sure he’s utterly destroyed.”