Chapter 194
Chapter 194
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: Primrose Pass Investigation
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“Ah, His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince said he would move the items collected here to the imperial palace.”
“No, follow the regulations.”
At my firm words, the detective gave a troubled look and glanced at the surrounding detectives.
“His Highness said that since the prosecution had previously closed the investigation into Primrose Pass, he would move everything to the palace and form a dedicated task force.”
*Good grief.*
This guy's a riot. A dedicated task force?
He plans to milk every advantage from his position where he can.
I stopped walking and looked straight at the detective.
“Do you have that much to say?”
“Pardon?”
“I asked if you have that much to say.”
The detective, grasping my meaning, replied quickly.
“No, sir.”
“The prosecution's security investigation is complete. You must know that Prosecutor General Erich Lieb and Chief Investigator Christina Herring were dismissed over this case. For the investigation, we can bring in external personnel if needed, but the original evidence must be stored solely with the prosecution or its investigative bureaus. Send it to the prosecution as per regulations.”
“Yes, we'll do that.”
The Crown Prince couldn't reveal to the Emperor that he was Abraham— even if he did, he wouldn't be punished, but it would create unnecessary risks like the Emperor handing the crown prince position to Adelbert. So he couldn't leverage the Emperor's power to steer this case in his favor. He could only manipulate the board with his own authority.
On the other hand, I had the Emperor's backing, who was already tearing his hair out over Phleroma and now Abraham too.
The Emperor didn't want his approval ratings to drop further and had no desire to stir up needless noise before the Pentalon International Tournament.
*That's why I slammed it straight into the Imperial Newspaper.*
They might face heavy pressure from the imperial family, but they were still a media outlet at heart, blinded by scoops.
If it had the Emperor's approval, no story on Abraham would have run, but I threatened to leak it to foreign press if they didn't publish immediately, securing the front page. It helped that the Phleroma congressman willing to give an interview was a staunch imperial loyalist.
Public alarm had exploded over the unprecedented ability to remotely control others' minds.
With no one else able to provide info on Abraham or ensure safety, the Emperor had no choice but to join hands with me, more or less by force.
Now, in this investigation, the Crown Prince and I stood on equal footing.
*To go up against the Empire's number two, you need this level of prep.*
I gathered my thoughts and spoke.
“Out of the 23 businesses total, 17 were raided. I assume the remaining ordinary taverns are cleared.”
“Yes, that's correct.”
“Arrest warrants have been issued for all employees. Since commands were given directly to their brains, I assume physical evidence here is limited. We'll now exclude the five investigators inside and set up barriers across the entire street, so let's wrap this up and start interrogating the employees first.”
“Yes, understood. If you're starting today, shall I prepare the worst offenders first? As Your Excellency was informed, evidence was found in Building 4 of human trafficking: some children brought in were put to work, others handed to Phleroma.”
“Hmm…”
Primrose Pass consisted of six buildings based on business type and location, each with around a hundred employees.
Naturally, interrogating them all in one day was impossible, so splitting them made sense. But the criteria for splitting needed care.
“Not by severity. From all 23 businesses, three managers or higher per site. We'll finish by dawn, so frontline sex workers and listed business owners are excluded from interrogation.”
“Yes. We'll prepare as instructed.”
The detective scribbled in his notebook, muttering.
*Why the rush?*
The Crown Prince would whisk them away the moment they arrived at the prosecution under custody.
He might have started already, but exposing orders to tamper with witnesses tied to him would be risky, so he'd likely declare he'd handle the investigation personally with imperial mages right upon arrival. That was the rational play.
So no leisurely takedown by business violation severity. Prioritize by importance: managers and up, regardless.
Managers across all types would've received Abraham's revelations.
And it couldn't end there.
“Relay this too: today's findings will be sent to each nation's investigative bureaus.”
“Pardon?!”
The detective whipped his head around, visibly shocked.
“Your Excellency, this is strictly a Prussian bureau and prosecution matter, so sharing with foreign nations…”
“Sharing is?”
“…a security issue…”
No, wrong.
The real reason not to share was simple: monopolizing info meant more leverage to extract.
Even as separate nations now united under the Empire, they couldn't indulge such selfishness.
Of course, there was a bigger reason.
I replied impassively.
“A security issue, you say? No restrictions apply. This isn't just Prussia's problem—it's about the Empire's subjects' safety. Sharing in advance allows joint operations if issues arise. Am I wrong?”
Because it didn't end with the sweep.
The Crown Prince was fully capable of tampering with testimony or destroying evidence.
Time to cut it off at the root.
The detective looked troubled but relented.
“Your Excellency is right. We'll follow your orders.”
“Good.”
With that, I walked on, listening to the report on today's findings.
Around 6:30, a faint electric tingle hit my core. Leo's mana was raging over it.
*Never thought I'd get a contact like this from anyone.*
I tapped the artifact, routing to Leo's line.
It connected before the first ring finished.
“Your Highness.”
[…Lord Ernst.]
Using the honorific, Leo instantly knew who I was posing as.
[You're out of your mind.]
“What's this about suddenly?”
I knew why he reacted this way.
I'd ditched half the school day.
*Ditching school makes me insane?*
Model student through and through.
But that wasn't the whole reason.
Leo had said to meet after training, but I'd finished the third session around 2 PM, slipped out with Narke's help. His team, led by two straight-arrows, predictably trained till 6, so I evaded them and bolted to the palace.
Waiting would've meant heading home, and once in, no leaving without his say-so. Ditching early was safer.
*Can't dawdle when evidence needs preserving.*
Had to clear the Crown Prince from the scene fast and handle the rest.
Sticking to school till 6 would've had me just starting to claim task force lead now. What a waste.
I chuckled.
“Don't stress too much, Your Highness. You can't stop me. Might wanna develop some flexibility for skipping out.”
Pain stabbed my heart mid-sentence. I doubled over; the detective matching my pace turned in alarm.
“Your Excellency? You alright?”
“…….”
[I said I'd come after training, but I didn't expect you at Primrose Pass right away. Post-training news said you'd taken joint task force lead. Used illness to duck roll call? Narke helped?]
“Yes.”
[*Sigh*…]
Predictably, he hated surprises.
Yesterday meeting the Crown Prince, he'd tracked my core's flow and insisted on always bringing one escort for future meets. Telling me to stay at school for his post-training visit was part of that.
Agreements existed to be kept, but I'd never agreed.
Thus, no promise broken.
*…Sorry for acting childish…*
But work needed wrapping fast.
Leo'd want healing magic, joint planning, normal scheduling. Against a tough foe like now, 'normal' dawdling might lose everything gainable.
As if reading me, Leo said calmly.
[The tide's already turned your way, Your Excellency. Don't rush.]
“Best to end it quick then. I'll wrap school matters by dawn tomorrow.”
[…….]
“You got the notice: confidential briefing on this case at dawn tomorrow. Come if you want, Your Highness. There's a seat.”
[Forgot whose side you're on? It's not optional—you have to go.]
Leo hung up before my reply.
*Meant to say bring Adelbert.*
Eh, he'll come.
As I resumed walking, a voice called from behind.
“Didn't expect you'd keep promises like this.”
The calm voice from yesterday.
Empty like its owner, yet flowing with subtle rhythm.
Distracted by Leo's call, surroundings now registered. Everyone stood ramrod straight, eyes on me.
My accompanying detective snapped to attention and saluted.
“Your Imperial Highness.”
I turned, confirming his face.
He gazed at me with serene composure.
“I distinctly said we'd meet at this hour today.”
“Didn't expect this form.”
He tilted his head, smiling. Lemon-blond locks gleamed in sunset glow.
“Couldn't let Your Highness handle task force lead alone—you seemed too busy. How busy must you be to move all seized items to the palace and plan a dedicated team? I'll handle it from scratch per regs.”
“Haha…”
The Crown Prince let out genuine amusement, leaning close.
His golden irises burned red.
“Only you think of me, Lord.”
“…….”
I glanced, looked away. Investigators everywhere still stared at him.
Nearly told him to go make friends, but couldn't poke openly.
“An honor.”
“Good.”
He patted my shoulder encouragingly.
“Work hard. Looking forward to your briefing too.”
With a curt nod, he passed us with his entourage.
No real talk in public, so he had nothing planned here.
But “looking forward” to the briefing wasn't dismissible.
Same here.
I mulled his words as I left.
* * *
Next day, 3 AM. I left my prosecution interrogation room for the confidential briefing hall.
More auditorium than meeting room—only I'd speak.
“Let's begin.”
The Emperor's aide finished warding the hall at 3 AM sharp.
I stepped to the front, eyeing seats. Center: Emperor, Crown Prince, Hohenzollerns. Right: Prussian prosecution, bureaus, police investigators.
Left: far fewer—Bavarians.
Scanning, I met Leo's eyes in Bavarian royals' garb. For ditching our “promise” (unmade, moral-ish), his sky-blue gaze glinted poorly in the dark.
I turned from his protesting stare, eyeing others, thinking.
*Bavaria slips naturally into Prussian affairs.*
Hence the Emperor's wariness of me, Bavaria's welcome.
Once equals, Prussia's Empire formation created hierarchy. Bavaria saw rootless Hohenzollerns unfit; they deserved imperial primacy, past glory restored. Now fringe views, but Bavarian rivalry with Prussia ran deep.
Anyway, regionalism irrelevant now.
Chin propped casually, I eyed the expectant Crown Prince.
Abraham was public, but this imperial school attack on royalty couldn't be. No chance to clear professors' innocence publicly.
This seat—task force lead plus my Emperor pitch—was tailor-made. No wasting new opportunity.
I organized docs, took the podium.
Uttering the standard investigator opener for government announcements.
“First, I swear to speak only truth here, as loyal imperial subject and guardian of justice.”
Normally praise Empire and royals, but no flair or intent for that. No pleasantries fit.
Straight in.
“For suspects Johannes Ron of Imperial Secondary Academy and one other: perpetrator clearly identified as neither suspect, prosecution unable to indict on merits. I strongly assert no-bill disposition.”