Chapter 9
Chapter 9
“Where are you going, Sir Damian?”
“I’ve got something urgent to take care of. You should head back first, Senior Cecilia.”
“Alright. See you tomorrow~!”
“Yes, Senior Cecilia!”
After separating from Cecilia Sylvester, I pretended to head toward the restroom and instead made my way to the imperial carriage storage.
The reason was simple.
‘A culprit always returns to the scene.’
Now that Yuria Rosehill had safely returned from her outing, the one who tampered with the carriage would definitely be feeling anxious and try something again.
If they were cautious, they might avoid it, but anyone who would target the princess was likely someone from within the imperial family.
People like that usually send others to do their dirty work, and those carrying out the orders would eventually move again to avoid punishment from their master.
Otherwise, they would be the ones discarded.
Clack. Clack.
‘Just as expected.’
And just as I predicted, someone was already tampering with the imperial carriage assigned to Yuria Rosehill.
It wasn’t the coachman from the morning.
This one was taller, with a clearly more muscular build that even I could recognize from his outline.
“Tch. Why did they take the backup carriage… now I’ve got more work to deal with.”
Just from his muttering, I was certain.
I moved silently.
No footsteps, no breathing, no sound of clothes brushing.
I approached from behind and confirmed his identity.
Then I paused slightly in surprise.
‘Orge?’
It was Orge, the imperial knight assigned to the Second Empress, the same man I had casually defeated yesterday.
‘Is this the Second Empress’s scheme?’
In my previous life, Yuria Rosehill had once been involved in a carriage accident.
That was why I had checked the carriage earlier before she boarded.
She didn’t die from it in the original timeline, but I hadn’t expected it to be connected to the Second Empress.
Because the Second Empress preferred methods that guaranteed death.
However, the imperial roads were extremely well maintained, flat and without cliffs, making it difficult to stage a fatal carriage accident.
At most, it would result in minor injuries.
‘Unless… the Third Prince’s failure made them desperate?’
Their only son had been sent into a situation no different from a death trap.
It wouldn’t be strange if they were seeking revenge.
Or maybe—
‘They’re trying to remove me.’
Since I had exposed the Third Prince’s scheme, they might be trying to frame me as an incompetent knight who failed to protect the princess.
At the same time, they could even remove Cecilia Sylvester from Yuria’s side.
A two-birds-one-stone plan.
‘The Second Empress overlooked one thing. I’ve got mercenary experience.’
Sreung.
I drew my sword and placed it near Orge’s neck.
“Stop.”
He flinched.
Even though he heard the sword being drawn, he only reacted after hearing my voice.
He had been too focused on damaging the carriage.
“What are you doing here, Sir Orge?”
I asked coldly.
“Ah, I was just passing by and thought the carriage looked strange…”
“Oh? Strange enough for you to crack the wheels and bend the iron supports underneath?”
Drip.
As I pressed the blade slightly closer without actually cutting the artery, a thin line of blood appeared on his neck.
“So it was you, imperial knight Orge. You were planning to damage Her Highness Yuria Rosehill’s carriage… and cause an accident?”
Shhhk!
“Ughhh!!”
At my interrogation, Orge unleashed aura throughout his body.
‘This guy… his sword skills were average, but his aura is no joke.’
I stepped back quickly, evading the surge of energy.
‘Is he insane? Using aura in the middle of the imperial palace?’
Bang!
‘Running?’
Instead of fighting, Orge chose to flee.
It was a strange decision, but then I understood.
Aura doesn’t leave fingerprints.
He was trying to escape and avoid being traced.
‘I’m the only witness.’
If I lost him here, there would be no proof.
Then I would be the only testimony against him, and that would never be enough.
‘I have to catch him.’
I kicked off the ground.
The distance had already widened, and with him using aura to run, it would normally be difficult to catch up.
‘This is where artifacts come in.’
For mercenaries, artifacts were life-saving trump cards.
Experienced mercenaries either bought them at high prices or obtained them from dungeons and ruins.
I belonged to the latter.
‘Wind spirit, grant me speed like the wind.’
I activated the artifact ring embedded with a green-blue gemstone.
Whoooosh.
My body instantly became light.
‘This is why the Magic Tower wanted it.’
The artifact was called the Ring of the Wind Spirit.
I had obtained it during a dungeon expedition.
At first, I thought it was just a valuable accessory, but after appraisal at the Magic Tower, I learned it was an ancient artifact.
They even tried to buy it from me.
But it was my first artifact.
I refused.
And after using it, I knew I would have regretted selling it.
It felt like my body was defying gravity itself.
“Stop right there, Orge!”
“What the hell? How is he this fast?!”
Orge panicked as I closed the distance almost instantly.
He had escaped at full speed, yet I caught up easily.
But I couldn’t let him go.
Not after what he tried to do to Yuria Rosehill.
Especially if the Second Empress was behind this.
There was no way I could let him escape.
“Your run ends here.”
Swoosh.
I accelerated past him and cut him off.
“Ghk! H-How did you catch up so fast?!”
“Didn’t I tell you? I worked as a mercenary during academy break.”
“What does that have to do with this?!”
“Mercenaries always carry artifacts.”
He clearly didn’t understand mercenary life.
That meant he was probably a noble raised in comfort.
Maybe even a fallen noble.
Those without a family name often came from collapsed houses.
Nobles receive their family names from the imperial family, and when they fall, their titles are stripped.
Orge might be one of them.
Fallen nobles often cling to power to restore their status.
That would explain why he, an imperial knight, would obey the Second Empress and target me after the Third Prince’s downfall.
“Why did you damage Her Highness’s carriage? If I hadn’t noticed it this morning, she could have been seriously injured.”
“Grr…!”
Orge gritted his teeth.
“It’s all your fault, Damian! Because of you, my position—!!”
He shouted in rage.
I sighed.
“What did I even do to you?”
“Kuhh…”
“So you won’t say it. Fine. I’ll just ask after I capture you.”
If he wouldn’t talk, I would make him talk.
But first, I needed to subdue him.
“Uraaah!!”
Aura surged into Orge’s fist as it came flying toward me.
Bang!!
I blocked it with my sword.
Then I twisted my body and delivered a brutal spinning back kick straight to his jaw.
Thud. Crack!
“Ghhk?!”
Even a knight couldn’t withstand a clean hit to the jaw.
And a full-force spinning back kick at that.
“Ugh… ngh….”
“He’s going down fast. Just like that.”