Chapter 175
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 175
Chapter Title: The Grasping Hand
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“To get straight to the point...”
“...”
“You're being relieved of your position as Marshal.”
“...I see.”
Jinovan nodded indifferently.
Jun tilted his head at the sight.
“You don't seem particularly pleased.”
In truth, though it was called a punishment, the Voltane ore district was little more than an exile posting.
Even if he was stepping down in a less than honorable way, it was an incredibly light penalty.
Yet Jinovan gave a wry smile as he replied.
“Honestly, I haven't even had the bandwidth to think that far.”
Jun could understand.
Too much had happened to him in such a short time.
That said, by Jun's logic, it was better to take all the shocks at once—and there were still unresolved issues.
“Do you know the saying, 'Time heals all wounds'?”
“I've heard it before.”
It was something he'd heard over and over from those around him when he got the news of his parents' passing.
“So I'm debating whether to give you the blue pill of time... or the red pill of reality.”
“Blue pill... red pill...?”
“Want to hear about them?”
“I don't know what they are, but give me that red one.”
“We've made some progress investigating Botan.”
Right after Botan had first shown up here, Jun had immediately contacted Cloi to look into him.
On top of that, Dexter—upon hearing the news—had sent a letter to Natalie, who was still on the first layer.
The reply had come quickly.
“Botan, that man...”
“Orchestrated my parents' deaths in the past?”
“...!”
Jun's jaw dropped at Jinovan's unexpected reaction, but the man just gave a bitter smile.
“I'd like to be alone for a bit. Would you mind leaving?”
Jun could only nod in response.
A few days passed.
They should have already headed to the fourth layer, their final stop on the tour, but this incident was no ordinary affair.
Two imperial princes had nearly been assassinated, followed by an assault from the Heavenly Ascension Church.
And to top it off, a massive poisonous mushroom had appeared, turning the entire mine into a restricted zone.
The miners who'd been working there were suddenly out of jobs, left out in the cold.
It would take a long time to come up with relief measures and resolve the growing crisis.
While everyone was caught up in the chaos, Jun and his companions were the only ones left with time on their hands.
Then Jinovan summoned Jun once more.
“I started suspecting Botan from the moment he first came looking for me here.”
He hadn't seen the man once since his parents' funeral, so naturally, he wondered why he'd shown up out of the blue.
“But the real clincher was the letter you sent me.”
“The one about the incident at the surface black market, right?”
“Exactly.”
And Botan just happened to be part of a merchant caravan that traded herbs between Blackout and the surface.
As Jun pieced together bits of information about him, various rumors surfaced—one being how Botan's standing in the caravan had started to rise around that time.
“That's when my parents passed away.”
“That's when you started suspecting him?”
“Yes. Our family's fortune started vanishing fast, and he'd taken kickbacks from an investment scheme before vanishing himself.”
Still, Jinovan hadn't been certain it connected to his parents' deaths.
All he knew for sure was that the victims of Botan's schemes had started rallying around his parents.
In truth, Botan had assassinated his parents, who were poised to lead the lawsuit against him.
A hit disguised as a bandit raid—that was Botan's past, uncovered by Jun and the imperial family.
“So it was him after all. I'd suspected as much.”
And Jinovan's reaction, even after hearing all this, was calmer than expected.
“In the end, both you and I knew about him, didn't we?”
“...Yeah.”
Was that why he'd holed up in his room all this time?
Jun was mulling that over when...
“There's one thing I want to ask you.”
“What is it?”
The truth behind the incident?
The true nature of the Heavenly Ascension Church?
Or responsibility for this mess?
Jun was ready for anything, but Jinovan's question caught him off guard.
“No matter how I look at it, something feels off. My punishment is way too lenient.”
It wasn't an unreasonable thought.
Even though Jinovan had racked up major merits in this crisis,
he shared blood with a traitor on the level of a great criminal, and he'd nearly been played while secretly investigating the Heavenly Ascension Church on his own without telling anyone.
On top of that, the Voltane ore district under his watch had taken massive damage from the incident.
Someone had to take responsibility.
Yet it ending with just a demotion? That was suspicious.
“Did you pull some strings?”
“All I reported to the higher-ups was the full story of the incident.”
Which was true.
Dexter had already vouched for Jinovan before Jun could even do anything.
“I never imagined an opportunity like this would come again.”
“Opportunity?”
“You saw my journal. You know what I've dreamed of with this sword.”
He drew the well-worn longsword and gently caressed it.
“It's embarrassing to say it now, but you probably thought I'd collapse in despair, right?”
“...Ahem. Not quite, but I was worried.”
“Haha. I just needed time to sort things out.”
“And... have you?”
“Somewhat. To be honest, knighthood was the best path I could walk as a swordsman.”
Both his father and mother had been knights. Growing up watching them, it was only natural for Jinovan.
“So my ambition to succeed with the sword was essentially the same as reaching the top as a knight.”
“...”
“But when that corrupted spirit took root in me and everything fell apart... I had so many regrets.”
Jun could imagine the feeling.
All the missed opportunities from his past would have come flooding back.
“The goal was noble, but the means were wrong. If I'd just pursued the sword alone—knight, mercenary, or even wandering swordsman—what would it matter?”
“...So you're saying...”
Was he giving up the knight's path for a mercenary life?
As Jun eyed him curiously, Jinovan burst into hearty laughter.
“But seeing you, even being a mercenary looks tough. Doesn't it?”
“...Haha. Yeah, lots of eyes on you.”
Especially with his recent antics.
Even before taking over the White Whale Mercenary Corps, he'd lived watching his comrades' reactions.
Of course, a knight like Jinovan wouldn't put up with that.
“Joining an ordinary mercenary group, and the captain would be watching me like a hawk. Leading one myself? I don't have the confidence.”
So he'd come up with another idea.
“Just once—mind if I make a shameless request?”
“Go ahead.”
“Connect me with the Gilenoi Merchant Guild.”
“Gilenoi?”
“I don't know business, but protecting people? I can handle that.”
Jun blurted out in surprise.
“You're serious?”
“I may give up the title of Knight King, but... Guardian King? Worth aiming for, don't you think?”
A knight—top graduate of the Imperial Academy, no less—walking in on his own two feet.
Cloi's gonna love this guy.
It was only natural to think so.
Should I at least suggest he think it over one more time, out of courtesy?
But looking at Jinovan gazing not at his uniform on the wall, but at his sword...
Jun couldn't bring himself to say it.
Instead...
“She's got a big appetite for money—and an even bigger one for talent—so she'll welcome your choice, Sir Jinovan.”
“Haha. Thanks for saying that.”
“I'll send a letter right away.”
“Quick as ever. I leave it in your hands, Jun.”
“Get well soon, Sir Jinovan.”
The sun was setting.
Alone in the moonlit room, Jinovan gazed at his sword gleaming in the light.
“I'm still the same as back then.”
As Jun stepped out of Jinovan's office,
he caught someone darting down the far end of the hallway.
“...?”
Did someone come to visit?
The question lingered only briefly.
Probably just a servant.
The atmosphere was tense enough to send anyone fleeing at the sight of someone emerging from the Marshal's office.
Jun headed to Dexter and Havier's lodgings.
The Heavenly Dragon Knights were now openly guarding it, no longer bothering to hide after the recent fiasco.
“Come in.”
“Here to see the prince.”
“Sir Havier stepped out for a bit.”
“I see.”
“Yes.”
They finished the small talk and went inside.
Perhaps thanks to his recent exploits,
the Heavenly Dragon Knights were surprisingly friendly toward Jun and his group.
“Ah, there you are. How's Sir Jinovan?”
“Fortunately, he's recovering his spirits.”
“Good. Haha, that's a relief.”
“But you seem unusually interested in him.”
“You could say that. As you know, he's not the type to rot away in a place like this.”
“True.”
Not just any knight—a top graduate of the Imperial Academy.
Elite of elites; with the right connections and chances, he'd have landed in a high-tier knight order no problem.
“So I've been thinking of employing him myself.”
“...Really?”
Jun had suspected, but not that he'd be so direct.
Sure, elite—but the palace was full of people equal to or better than Jinovan.
Yet to Dexter, Jinovan was a knight worth trusting.
Reports say even this mage is picky about people. If a guy like that vouches for him this strongly, with solid skills and talent to boot... give him time, and he'll have all the makings.
More than that, in a life-or-death situation, he'd cooperated with Jun multiple times, acting on faith without guarantees.
Knights with that kind of resolve weren't a dime a dozen.
This must be what they mean by slaying drakes, scoring eggs, raiding lairs, and snagging fortuitous encounters.
He'd taken down an absurdly dangerous foe who poisoned food remotely with [Intent] from afar,
and confirmed the Heavenly Ascension Church's forces through this mess.
Lots of risks and headaches, but netting a knight like Jinovan was harvest enough.
Time for me to start promoting my own people, too.
Dexter, who served under his father with Aden and Ben, harbored a desire to handpick and raise his own knights someday.
To him, Jinovan was an appealing piece.
However.
“Um, Sir Dexter.”
“Hm? What is it?”
“Well, actually...”
Jun's explanation that followed, along with Jinovan's new resolve,
left the First Prince more dejected than expected.
“...Fetch me some booze.”
“...”
-Whew. This time, I really almost died...
A man whose voice lacked any inflection—like a clown perpetually pickled in liquor—emerged into the poison-spore-filled mine.
But anyone hearing it would know he sounded like he was on death's door.
-Aden, that senile old coot is viciously strong...
A brief detour to another dimension with Aden. And the penalty for breaking the 'rules' down below.
-Seriously, where the hell is everyone and what are they doing...?
He'd have preferred to delegate this mess too, but no replies to his contacts.
In the end, he had to handle the grunt work himself.
Still, he had to come.
To retrieve the true objective of this incident.
-Venom Serpent... You did well with my request. Good job. Clap clap...
Venom Serpent.
Or rather, the 'seed' of the spirit that had devoured it—he had to collect that.
-Can't wait to see how far this shakes things up...
Once this was done, he swore he wouldn't step up like this for a good while.
With that vow, he snatched the 'seed' tucked in the mine's corner and vanished.