Chapter 217
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 217
Chapter Title: The Cardinal Exposed
“……!!!”
The priests and Holy Knights were plunged into shock upon learning that the man slain in the underground passage was Dolgwen, the royal wizard favored by the king.
‘What in the world…?'
The Cardinal, in particular, couldn’t pull himself together. After all, he was the one who had recommended Dolgwen to the king in the first place.
But what shook and confused the Cardinal even more than the fact that Dolgwen had created undead was something else entirely.
‘Why did I do that? Why on earth did I…?’
It was an undeniable truth that he had introduced Dolgwen to the king and vouched for him. He still remembered the circumstances from a year ago as clearly as if it were yesterday.
Yet the Cardinal couldn’t comprehend why he had done such a thing.
‘Why…? What in the world was I thinking!?’
The fact that he had never once questioned it before only deepened his confusion.
All without the slightest suspicion that he had fallen victim to one of a high vampire’s abilities: ‘Enchantment.’
“Gentlemen!”
Ignoring the Cardinal entirely, Eugene raised his voice and pointed to the Holy Knights who had accompanied him into the underground passage.
“The wicked wizard was vanquished thanks to the brave and honorable efforts of these four knights.”
Ooh…!
Swell with pride, the four men straightened their shoulders proudly, while the other Holy Knights cheered for their comrades who had fulfilled their sacred duty.
Sure, there might have been a twinge of jealousy, but in this situation, it was a blessing that their fellow knights had upheld the honor of the Holy Order.
“But this matter is far from over. The wizard knew about the ancient underground secret passage connected to the grand cathedral—the oldest one in the capital, no less. And while even you knights weren’t fully aware of its layout, the wizard knew it like the back of his hand.”
“Hmm!”
“Such a thing…”
The Holy Knights’ elation sank in an instant, their gazes naturally turning to one place.
After all, detailed knowledge of the grand cathedral’s underground passages was possessed only by the Cardinal and a select few high priests.
“Wha-what! Why are you looking at me like that? Listen here, knights! I am the Cardinal! The one who leads the faith of our kingdom…”
Eugene cut off the Cardinal as he hurriedly tried to defend himself against the suspicious glares of the Holy Knights.
“I hear that Your Eminence yourself recommended that wicked wizard to the king.”
“Th-that…”
The Cardinal’s face drained of color in an instant, leaving him trembling violently.
The Holy Knights staring at him already had eyes as cold as ice.
Of course, a few looked on with pity, but most wore expressions suppressing disappointment and anger.
‘Perfect.’
Eugene smiled inwardly in satisfaction.
Whether the Cardinal had any direct involvement in Dolgwen’s schemes or not, he could no longer escape responsibility. His downfall was now inevitable.
But they couldn’t stop here.
“Gentlemen. We should head to the royal palace at once. Shouldn’t such matters be brought to light clearly before all the people?”
“Yes! You speak truly.”
“Brothers! Let us go! We shall restore the fallen faith and justice ourselves!”
“Indeed! That is the sacred duty of us Holy Knights!”
Praised as the church’s sword and guardians of the faith, yet never once at the church’s center, the Holy Knights marched forward with fierce determination, as if seizing this chance to make up for past slights.
* * *
Unlike usual, the royal palace gates stood wide open as Eugene’s group and the Holy Knights entered.
“Hmm. The atmosphere here feels off.”
“Indeed.”
The Holy Knights tilted their heads in puzzlement.
Monsters had appeared in the heart of the capital, yet not only were there no soldiers, but not even a glimpse of nobles or servants.
“Ah! Could it be that looting broke out amid the chaos?”
“Heavens! To the throne room, quickly! Lord Claire! You search for His Majesty the King and the royals!”
The Holy Knights quickened their pace.
Eugene followed leisurely behind them.
Upon reaching the throne room, the Holy Knights could only gape in astonishment.
Fully armed knights had seized complete control of the chamber, while the palace nobles huddled together, trembling in fear.
Clang! Clang!
“Who are you? Do you even know where you are, daring to commit such insolence!”
The furious Holy Knights swiftly drew their weapons and formed ranks.
At that moment, one knight came dashing over.
“Hey! Lord Eugene!”
“…!?”
The Holy Knights’ faces turned toward him, and Eugene stepped forward, removing his helmet.
“Gentlemen. These are knights who share my cause. They’re not enemies—stand easy.”
“…!?”
Pushing past the baffled Holy Knights, Madrica chattered on to Eugene.
“As per your orders, we’ve secured the pala—”
“Truly, Lord Madrica! Saving the palace from monster attack—what a feat!”
Eugene swiftly cut her off and clapped her on the shoulder.
Having encountered Madrica once before, Eugene knew exactly how to handle this talkative, boastful knight.
Madrica blinked in confusion at first but soon grinned as the praise continued, eventually placing one hand on her hip and tilting her chin up.
“Haha! You flatter me. I merely did my duty as a knight. Of course, it would’ve been far tougher without me…”
“Exactly. That’s Lord Madrica for you. Anyway, don’t you have a report?”
“Oh, right! My mind’s elsewhere.”
For all her bravado, Madrica’s sense of responsibility was strong. She ceased her self-praise, looking somewhat awkward as she spoke.
“As you see, we’ve fulfilled your command. But we failed to secure the most important figure. The king.”
“…!”
As Eugene’s brow furrowed, Madrica waved her hands frantically and continued.
“No, it wasn’t my fault. By the time we entered the palace, the king was already gone.”
“Hmm. Then where is the king now? You do know, right?”
“Hahaha! Of course. We’ve already tracked him and sent knights. They’ll bring him shortly.”
“Hmm. Good.”
Eugene inwardly sighed in relief—until Madrica’s mocking whisper reached his ear.
“But honestly, I’d only heard rumors. I never imagined the king was this incompetent and deranged. Hunting, of all things, in this crisis. Tsk tsk. Truly lost his mind…”
“Hunting? Did you say hunting?”
“Huh? Y-yes…”
Startled by Eugene’s suddenly gleaming eyes, Madrica nodded.
“Some cousin or other? Anyway, he took a few royals and royal guards to the royal hunting grounds. It’s right next to the palace, so they’ll fetch him qui— Lord? Lord Eugene?”
Brushing past Madrica, Eugene strode toward the palace nobles, who trembled surrounded by Maren knights.
“I’ll ask. How many were with the king and his retinue at the hunting grounds?”
The nobles, faces pale with fear and eyes darting, finally had one muster the courage to speak.
“Ab-about fifty.”
“…Were the royal guards wearing russet leather armor trimmed with golden thread?”
“Y-yes. That’s right.”
“…”
Sensing disaster, Eugene slowly turned.
Sweeping his gaze over the bewildered onlookers, he spoke.
“It seems the king is well and truly dead.”
“……!!!”
Jaws dropped, and stunned silence crushed the throne room.
Breaking that silence was the Cardinal, dragged in by the Holy Knights.
“It’s you! You murdered His Majesty the King!!!”
All eyes turned to the Cardinal at his enraged shout.
‘This is my chance!’
The Cardinal was a master politician.
His ability to manipulate the church, palace, and even the king stemmed from his sharp instincts and judgment, as much as his vileness.
To him, Eugene’s words were the perfect opportunity to turn the tables.
“Knights! That villain assassinated His Majesty! How else could he alone know of this when no one here did!?”
“……!”
The Holy Knights’ eyes widened, then slowly shifted to Eugene.
‘Has this rat lost his mind?’
Even amid the absurdity, Eugene had to admire the Cardinal. As expected of someone who’d run the kingdom as his playground—his cunning was on another level.
“Lord, surely…”
As Eugene marveled, the Holy Knights’ gazes sharpened.
After all, only palace residents could know the king and nobles had gone to the hunting grounds.
Yet Eugene had declared the king might be dead upon merely hearing he’d gone there.
“Brothers in faith, what are you waiting for? He may be a regicide traitor! Will you stand idly by?”
Yung Dirhit, who’d been waiting for his moment just like the Cardinal, drew his sword and bellowed.
The incitement worked.
Clang! Clang!
A number of knights drew blades, aiming at Eugene and the Maren knights.
“These bastards?”
“Protect the lord!”
Eugene’s side didn’t sit idle.
Princess Lilisein and the elf knights pressed close to Eugene, while the Maren knights drew weapons to face off against the Holy Knights.
Then, a shrill voice rang through the throne room.
“How insolent! To draw swords in the presence of the honorable golden-blooded heir of Roman!”
Striding forward with a shout was Prince Rokarop, disguised as a servant.
As confused gazes converged on him, he stepped before the faux prince Vizak and raised his voice again.
“Gentlemen! Is this how the Kingdom of Kaylor treats the golden blood of Roman? Do you think it honors Kaylor for my prince and I to witness this? Would you dare report this to His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and the court?”
“……!”
Knights flinched without exception. The weight of the Roman Empire and its emperor was immense.
The Holy Knights, having already heard from Eugene about Prince Rokarop and hoping to forge ties, paid especial heed.
As the mood cooled, Prince Rokarop swept a piercing gaze over them.
“And to persecute a man without evidence, on mere words? You Holy Knights, where now is the honor and chivalry you so loudly proclaimed? Is your honor so frail it vanishes on a whim?”
“Hmm…”
Coming from Roman imperial retainers, no less—and it rang true.
The Holy Knights sheepishly lowered their swords.
Vizak, briefly thrown by Prince Rokarop’s improvisation, cleared his throat and stepped up.
“Ahem! My servant speaks my mind. Thus, Cardinal of Kaylor.”
“Y-yes… Sp-speak, Your Highness.”
Well aware of Roman imperial gravitas as a political maestro, the Cardinal bowed deeply.
“Your claim can wait until we hear Lord Eugene’s account, no? What say you?”
“Your Highness speaks wisely. Truly, a golden-blooded heir.”
The Cardinal inwardly cheered his agreement.
‘No matter what you say, you can’t reverse this. No—I’ll make sure of it!’
The political mastermind, acknowledged ruler of the palace, brimmed with confidence.
But less than a minute after Eugene calmly spoke, the Cardinal’s face crumpled hideously.
“So, the moment you drove the drake toward the mountain adjacent to the hunting grounds, a Twin-Headed Undead Ogre appeared?”
‘Not bad acting, prince.’
Eugene nodded to Prince Rokarop, who feigned wide-eyed shock as if hearing it for the first time.
“Indeed. Sensing the wicked aura, I rushed there—only to find the king’s party and escorts already dead. Or rather, not just dead…”
“Lies! That villain speaks falsehoods!”
The Cardinal bellowed, sensing peril.
Knowing from experience that the loudest voice won in such scraps, he opened his mouth to draw more attention—
“Gentlemen! Disaster!”
The knights sent to fetch the king and nobles burst into the throne room, yanking all eyes their way.
“Look at this! It seems that wicked monster slew the king and nobles!”
Thud!
“No bodies, but by their attire and signet rings, this must be the king.”
The throne room erupted in horror at the sight of the king’s party’s clothes and jewelry.
Into their ears slipped Eugene’s voice.
“The undead’s dark magic turned them to ash. No bodies, so I couldn’t confirm it was the king’s group. That’s why I said earlier it seemed they might be dead. Anyway, this proves I’m no regicide.”
Silence blanketed the room.
Turning sharply, Eugene fixed a steady glare on the ashen-faced Cardinal and continued.
“You actively recommended that necromancer black wizard to the king, didn’t you, Your Eminence?”
“……!”
“And the black wizard who fled right after the king’s death just happened to be cornered and killed in the grand cathedral’s underground passages—a place few even know of. Hmm? Quite the coincidence. You’re deeply entangled in every affair. Yet you accuse me of regicide.”
“Urgh! Urrrgh…!”
Eugene turned from the sweating, shuddering Cardinal to the Holy Knights and palace nobles, now realizing the truth in stunned horror, and flashed a cold smile.
“Gentlemen. What do you make of this?”
(To be continued)