Chapter 248
Chapter 248
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 248
Chapter Title: The Missing White Lion Knight Captain
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The White Lion Knight Captain who had gone missing.
The nobles began whispering at the news of his appearance.
It just so happened to be the moment when talk of the White Lion Knight Captain came up.
Of course they would buzz now that the man himself had shown up.
Duke Kaiden's expression hardened for the first time.
His gaze slowly shifted toward Duke Imperba.
Duke Imperba remained utterly silent.
Instead, he met Duke Kaiden's eyes head-on without flinching.
Duke Kaiden's brow twitched.
'...He foresaw this situation from the start.'
The Abyss was too vast an entity to dismiss as just one man.
He had single-handedly turned the Eastern noble faction around in an instant.
But that very fact made him a dangerous figure.
Duke Imperba must have recognized that danger as well.
'I should have expected it the moment he so readily acknowledged an alliance with the Abyss.'
This was no mere coincidence—it was a prepared trap.
'Duke Imperba is far more meticulous than I thought.'
He had only seemed like an easy mark based on his usual demeanor.
In truth, he was as cunning as a fox.
As Duke Kaiden revised his assessment of Duke Imperba,
the duke himself stayed completely silent.
Naturally so.
He truly knew nothing about this situation.
'...Why is the White Lion Knight Captain here?'
Cold sweat trickled down Duke Imperba's back.
He half-wondered if this was some card Duke Kaiden had up his sleeve.
But judging from Duke Kaiden's reaction, that didn't seem to be the case.
The faint irritation in his eyes gave it away.
That irritation signaled that things had gone awry.
What had brought the White Lion Knight Captain to this meeting?
Duke Imperba gripped his hands tightly, sweat beading on his palms.
He had no idea.
He had prepared some defenses regarding the accusations against the Abyss, but the dice had already been cast.
Ruin,
or survival.
It was all or nothing now.
"...Let him in."
At Duke Imperba's command, his aide hurriedly stepped out.
Thud... thud...
Soon, heavy footsteps echoed from outside.
As their owner entered, every noble in the room widened their eyes.
The White Lion Knight Captain had truly walked into the chamber.
Tall stature, imposing build.
And the lion-emblazoned armor symbolizing the White Lion.
There was no mistaking it—he was the 29th White Lion Knight Captain, Leon Krais.
The moment they saw him, everyone's faces stiffened in shock.
It was only natural, with the missing man appearing here of all places.
"...Lord Leon, it's a relief to see you safe."
"Thank you, Your Grace, Duke Kaiden."
Leon bowed politely to Duke Kaiden.
Meanwhile, Duke Imperba was on edge, tense as could be.
He couldn't even tell anymore if the pain in his gut was from nerves or ulcers.
"I came to this meeting today for one reason alone."
The nobles held their breath.
His next words could shift the entire situation in an instant.
And so, as everyone awaited his statement,
"The White Lion Knights, myself included, fell into a trap set by the Imperial Necromancer."
The moment those words left his mouth, the nobles erupted in murmurs.
"...Him?"
Duke Kaiden narrowed his eyes.
As a former vice-captain who had served in the Imperial Palace, he knew the Imperial Necromancer had no reason to do such a thing.
"Yes. The White Lion Knights were annihilated because of it, and I barely escaped with my life."
The annihilation of the White Lion Knights.
The empire's pride and joy, wiped out.
Everyone present knew the gravity of that statement.
"In the midst of surviving, I learned one crucial truth."
"The Imperial Necromancer had been gathering necromancers to plot a coup against the state, and he was contracted to an Evil Transcendent."
The nobles were stunned beyond words.
An Imperial Necromancer, hired by the palace, contracted to an Evil Transcendent.
And plotting national overthrow to boot—naturally, it shocked them.
"To stop him, I acted alone. And in that process, I came to know one person."
Leon placed a hand on his chest and spoke earnestly.
Duke Kaiden's eyes began to widen slowly.
This turn of events boded ill.
"Lord Leon."
He tried to cut him off, but it was too late.
"The Abyss."
The Northern noble faction froze solid at the name.
The truth revealed through the White Lion Knight Captain himself.
Whether it was truly the truth or not, no one could say.
But coming straight from the source, it couldn't be ignored.
"He provided crucial aid in thwarting the necromancer's plans."
"Without him, none of us would be standing on this soil today."
Leon spoke with utter conviction.
As the captain of the empire's strongest knight order, his words carried weight.
And if it was true, the Abyss would be no traitor to the nation, but a hero.
A man who felled a vile enemy bent on toppling the empire.
He more than qualified to rise as a national hero.
"...Lord Leon, I'm not dismissing your account."
Duke Kaiden pressed on, desperate to turn the tide.
"It's been nearly a year since you vanished. If you'd known this, why not report it directly to the palace?"
Leon had been in hiding all this time, showing no sign of himself.
It was a perfectly valid question.
"I couldn't trust the palace."
But Leon's response plunged the nobles into even greater shock.
"After the White Lion Knights went missing, did you ever see the palace make any real effort to find us?"
Back then, the empire was in chaos amid conflicts between noble factions.
The knights' disappearance was a major incident, but everyone was too busy protecting their own interests.
Nobles had even commandeered search parties for their own gain.
So, naturally, no proper search had taken place.
Leon had turned that negligence to his advantage.
"The Imperial Necromancer deliberately obstructed the search for the White Lion Knight Captain."
Claiming it was all the Imperial Necromancer's doing.
"To cover his crimes, he orchestrated the empire's persecution of necromancers all this time."
"Innocent necromancers suffered greatly because of it, while his own misdeeds stayed hidden."
Necromancers weren't special occupations for nothing.
They were most effective against their own kind.
With all necromancers rounded up by the empire, no one was left to spot the Imperial Necromancer's moves.
"In the end, he completed his preparations and built an altar beneath the Dryad Forest."
"An altar to summon the Evil Transcendent itself."
"Heavens."
Some nobles shuddered in horror.
Many among them were devotees of the Benevolent Transcendent.
They could never tolerate such an abhorrent Evil Transcendent.
"The Abyss and I joined forces and finally destroyed the altar, executing the Imperial Necromancer."
Some were even moved to tears by their death-defying struggle.
Whispers spread among the nobles.
Leon was not a man who lied.
For him to declare it so boldly meant it was likely true.
"...Why didn't you reveal yourself even after slaying the Imperial Necromancer?"
Duke Kaiden swallowed a groan and asked.
Leon's words were laced with lies.
He had obtained prior intelligence through certain channels.
He knew the truth.
Yet Leon had cleverly woven in real facts.
The Imperial Necromancer, Crawling Ossuary, had indeed plotted treason.
There was no way to counter this.
He wanted to leap up and shout, but that would backfire.
He had to grasp at any straw, no matter how small.
"Your Grace, Duke Kaiden, that's precisely what I came here to explain."
Leon exhaled deeply, clenching his fists.
"The one plotting to overthrow the empire isn't just the Imperial Necromancer."
The nobles stirred.
What shocking revelation was this now?
"Someone among the empire's own is subtly manipulating us toward collapse."
"Because of that person, I've stayed hidden, moving with the night ravens."
Leon bit his lip, fury etched on his face.
"But I couldn't let the truth remain buried any longer."
His voice burned with unyielding resolve.
"I couldn't stand by while the Abyss, who helped me stop the Imperial Necromancer, was misunderstood."
Duke Kaiden had accused the Abyss of treason.
Without Leon's appearance, it might have stuck.
Leon had stepped forward for his comrade-in-arms who fought to protect the world alongside him.
The nobles, ever soft on bonds of friendship and loyalty, cleared their throats to hide their emotions.
Some noblewomen even dabbed at their eyes with handkerchiefs.
"Your Grace, Duke Kaiden, I know it's hard to take my word at face value."
One shouldn't judge solely on suspicion.
With that, Leon drew a red gem from his pocket.
All eyes locked onto it.
"This is a fragment of the Blood Jade created by the Imperial Necromancer, prophet contracted to the Evil Transcendent, Crawling Ossuary."
"It bears clear traces of the Evil Transcendent."
Now suspicion was bolstered by hard evidence.
The Northern noble faction fell utterly silent.
They had lost their leverage to pressure the Eastern faction using the Abyss.
Leon's gaze turned to Duke Kaiden.
"There are still those in the palace plotting national overthrow."
It felt as if he were addressing someone beyond Duke Kaiden.
"Your Grace, Duke Kaiden, we must root out the one scheming against the nation. Will you help me?"
Duke Kaiden's eyelids twitched.
He had sensed the Abyss lurking behind Leon.
And realized Leon knew exactly where his information came from.
Rage boiled within him.
To be cornered like this by a mere necromancer upstart.
His pride was wounded.
"Lord Leon, I'll help you."
At that moment, Duke Imperba, who had remained silent, finally spoke.
He rose and clapped Leon firmly on the shoulder.
Duke Imperba was no bear.
Through the unfolding events, he had grasped the entire flow.
If he solidified his stance here, the Northern faction would lose even their justification.
"I too stand with the Abyss and share his cause. I'll gladly aid you brave souls for the empire's sake!"
Thus, he declared with maximum fervor.
The final nail.
Cheers erupted from the Eastern noble faction at Duke Imperba's words.
He had already announced the Abyss's alliance with them.
From the moment Leon spoke, control of the meeting had shifted to the Eastern faction.
Knowing this, they couldn't help but cheer.
In noble society, justification was paramount.
The Eastern faction had gained grounds to confront the palace directly.
The justification of safeguarding the world.
No Northern noble could straighten their shoulders.
They knew better than anyone that this meeting had failed.
"... ."
Duke Kaiden squeezed his eyes shut.
This meeting.
The Northern noble faction had been utterly defeated.
By a single necromancer, no less.