Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Palace Pressure
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112
3
At the heart of the Tekat Kingdom stood a palace of pure white, piercing toward the heavens.
The grand Enenbra Palace was nothing less than the kingdom's beating heart.
No building in the realm could surpass it in size or splendor, and no place was guarded more rigorously.
It was the ultimate seat of power.
A paradise beyond the reach of commoners, who would never set foot there in their lifetimes.
Only those granted permission could enter the Enenbra Palace, where Ludwig von Kusbeuk now found himself under pressure from all sides.
"Your recent investments in the knights have increased, Your Highness. Are you preparing for war?"
An elderly minister asked leisurely.
Even as he uttered the ominous word "war," greed flickered in his eyes, making Ludwig click his tongue inwardly.
"It's merely the increased expenditure due to the time coming to replace equipment. The knight order is no different from usual."
"Ho ho, is that truly the case, Your Highness? Rumors abound in the palace that you're mustering forces to join the struggle for the throne, even now."
"Watch your words, Minister Berhem."
Minister Berhem nodded without further argument.
After that, a barrage of questions continued to press Ludwig.
They nitpicked every detail under the guise of a routine council meeting.
In a normal council, Ludwig wouldn't be the only royal in attendance.
The absence of the First and Second Princes, busy consolidating their own factions, meant one thing: Ludwig alone had been summoned to this "council."
‘...The plan has leaked.’
Ludwig rolled his eyes while giving curt replies.
The ministers applying this pressure were all listed in Wifera's ledger.
He didn't know where the plan had leaked from, but it was clear it had.
Otherwise, there'd be no need to grasp at straws with a prince of the realm.
‘They want to buy time?’
Even as the Third Prince, fallen from the succession race, Ludwig was still royalty.
Being rude to royalty always carried risks.
Yet they pressed him for one reason.
If their corruption was exposed, they'd be executed without a backward glance.
Even if it meant facing charges of lese-majeste, they sought to buy time now to find a way to escape.
‘By constantly interfering with my actions, they prevent me from moving the knights easily. While the knights drag their feet, they'll destroy evidence and flee. That's their scheme.’
But he couldn't arrest the corrupt ministers on the spot.
The plan required precise timing, so this interference was deadly.
Ludwig barely swallowed the emotions rising on his face.
He maintained an expression of utter ignorance, coldly rolling his eyes over the rotten ministers.
‘Hah... I can't help but lament. Since when has my homeland rotted to this extent...’
But lamenting changed nothing.
The world wouldn't shift just by sitting and sighing.
If all else failed, he'd have to settle for the next best option.
He had to strike before they could all escape while they kept grabbing at his ankles.
The problem was how.
Ludwig closed one eye tightly and rapidly scanned beneath the lid.
There was so little he could do alone.
He needed the aid of someone he could rely on.
And the people Ludwig could rely on were few enough to count on one hand.
Naturally, Theo Agrit came to mind.
He couldn't forget those earnest black eyes, earnestly invoking noblesse oblige when he visited the annex in person.
Ludwig had verified it from multiple sources.
Reports confirmed Theo's exploits against ruffians not just in Hoiman Territory, but in Hilpenberg Territory as well.
It was easy to imagine Theo Agrit, black hair whipping in the wind, fulfilling a noble's duty beyond his own lands.
He had even infiltrated Wifera's hideout to steal the corruption ledger himself.
Skill, guts, and above all, a noble's sense of duty—he had it all.
In this situation, no one was more suitable to trust.
Ludwig, still seated, made a subtle hand gesture.
The page who caught the signal stood silently by his side.
"Page, go find Theo Agrit. Explain the situation... He'll surely provide the proper response."
The loyal knight nodded gravely and withdrew.
Ludwig watched the page leave the chamber with his eyes, then faced the corrupt ministers once more.
4
"His Highness Ludwig is under pressure."
Those were the page's words the moment I arrived at the Esterro Academy reception room after being summoned.
I'd wondered why Page had come for me personally... Political pressure, of all things.
"Please explain in detail."
"Today, at the council meeting..."
Page gave a short, concise account of the palace events.
Ludwig couldn't move the knights immediately due to pressure from ministers colluding with Wifera.
This disrupted the operation to purge the corrupt nobles and ministers, and if time dragged on, they'd destroy evidence or even escape.
"So, even if we can't take them all down at once, we move now."
"That's His Highness's will. He selected you as the most suitable for the task."
Page stared at me with eyes as white as his hair, unblinking.
There wasn't a shred of deceit in that gaze.
No, Page Winchester was the type who couldn't lie in the first place.
In a way, the most knightly of them all.
"...This is getting more troublesome than I thought."
I mumbled, dropping my head as if avoiding her gaze.
Wifera himself, and his boss Maximilian, probably wouldn't flee.
The underworld they'd built in the capital was far too valuable to abandon.
They had power amassed in the back alleys, with networks well-established to maintain it.
Better to sacrifice a limb or two than abandon it all.
To minimize damage, they'd destroy Ludwig's evidence or sever related ties.
With their scale, it wouldn't be settled in a day or two.
But if we let time slip away, escape was inevitable.
In that sense, yes, more troublesome.
"Please. I want your help."
Amid it all, Page bowed at a perfect right angle.
It was the rigid plea of someone too dutiful, the kind who'd be busy helping others in the academy even now.
"Helping isn't the issue... But I have limits alone."
Dealing with Wifera was expected from the start.
But what I could do solo was too narrow in scope.
My abilities were what they were... but having only one body was the biggest limit.
To handle this scale, it was impossible alone.
"We have ways to address the manpower shortage. I want you to lead the main force."
Page replied as if she'd anticipated it.
If we could bolster numbers, success was feasible.
I'd planned to ask Ludwig to let me handle Wifera's main base anyway.
In that light, aside from time and manpower constraints, it wasn't much different from the original plan.
"Understood. When do we move?"
"I'd prefer today, but if not, tomorrow at latest."
"It's tight. Then I'll prepare for execution tomorrow."
Not much prep needed.
As I mentally refined the plan, Page blinked her pure white eyes and asked,
"...It's odd for me, the one asking, to say this, but is it really okay to accept so readily?"
"Well, it's something that needs resolving anyway. The situation worsened, but it's no big change for me. Just shifting the execution date— no issue."
Leaving them be would make total annihilation of Wifera impossible.
I didn't want to stick around for more incidents.
With circumstances changed, slim chance Leon would handle Wifera on his own.
Ignoring it would just disrupt my peaceful days.
Long-term, handling it now would be less hassle.
I sighed inwardly, and Page nodded solemnly.
"As expected of someone His Highness relies on."
What was this one on about?
The world was full of truly baffling people...
5
"I need a good rest today..."
After seeing Page off, I returned to the dorm.
With execution tomorrow, rest was priority now.
To preserve stamina and peak condition, I opened the door.
"......"
For a moment, I thought it wasn't my room.
But Pudding bouncing on the bed confirmed it was.
I quickly shut the door before anyone saw.
Before I could even remove my shoes, scattered writing tools greeted me.
The wardrobe doors were flung open, contents spilled; writing tools and books littered the floor; storage boxes for ingredients and all were wide open.
-Kyuu!
The culprit behind this mess, Pudding, was too busy using the bed as a trampoline, wrapped head to toe in toilet paper rolls.
Aigoo, my aching neck.
The chaotic scene I'd only seen in the tea club room left me dazed.
Clutching my nape, I knelt in place, and Choco toddled over, circling me worriedly.
Seeing him flap his front paws as if trying to explain snapped me back.
"Yeah, you're the only one I can count on... Choco..."
I'd planned to rest, but how now?
Cleanup time aside... If this happened daily while I was out, my body wouldn't hold.
Already hiding Pudding meant I couldn't ask academy staff to clean the dorm.
Education was key.
Deep breath, steady voice.
"Pudding. Who said you could make this mess?"
I called loudly, but Pudding kept bouncing on the bed.
Must be too fun to hear me.
"Kim Pudding."
I deliberately lowered my tone an octave.
Only then did he sense something amiss, landing on the bed and peeking at me.
Still young, his big black eyes showed whites as he glanced slyly.
"Come here."
-Kyuuu...
Pudding climbed down, dragging the toilet paper, and approached.
"Messy is bad, no."
-Kyuuu...
"No. Will you do it again?"
-Kyuuu...?
Pudding snuggled into my arm slyly.
The cool, smooth scales felt nice.
As he rubbed his head and batted his eyes, my lips twitched up.
I grabbed them firmly and pried Pudding off.
"No cuteness allowed. Got it? No means no."
-Kyuu!
Whether he heard or not.
The moment I let go, he burrowed right back into my arms.
Clinging koala-like, tail wagging wildly—anyone who didn't melt at that wouldn't have blood.
"Next time, no mercy."
At that, oddly, Choco sighed "Haa," then smacked his own forehead with tiny paws.
Standing on hind legs, Choco waddled over and pried Pudding from my arms.
Pudding, not clinging hard, came off easily.
-Kyuu!
Whether they'd bonded in my absence, Pudding tried clinging to Choco too.
But Choco blocked him like an iron wall, pushing his forehead.
-Kyu?
Tap tap, Choco's tail drummed the floor.
-Kyuuu...?
Tap tap, tail still drumming, Choco waved his front paws.
Telling him to clean up the mess?
A bizarre standoff followed: raccoon scolding, dragon gauging mood.
Finally, Pudding, watching Choco cautiously, began timidly tidying the dorm he'd messed up.
Choco watched arms crossed, like a supervisor.
Pudding was a hatchling, sure, but still a dragon.
Was Choco really a raccoon?
The world was vast, full of incomprehensible things...