Chapter 34
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Killing Two Birds with One Stone (3)
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5.
Is this it?
Leo muttered as he watched the Sea Wolf Knights collecting evidence around the grand mansion.
At his words, which were like a thought spoken aloud, Karron chuckled.
What are you talking about? This is just the beginning.
There's more?
Karron glanced down through the window.
O-yun, captured just moments ago, was being dragged out the main gate, bound in ropes.
That man is just the tail. We have to dig up who's behind him. This was never a mission that would end overnight.
Then what about our mission? What if Grandfather says something?
We've gathered some very useful clues, so for now, we can consider the mission a success, right?
Once they dragged O-yun to Azurecastle for interrogation, they were sure to get some decent information out of him.
The dungeons of Azurecastle were just that kind of place.
A place that made you spill everything you knew.
The evidence we received from Kalligo was very effective.
Karron let out a soft breath, recalling the information and evidence Poina had provided earlier.
Kalligo had already detained O-yun's family as they were trying to flee Teve.
If they hadn't cooperated so willingly, he doubted this matter would have been resolved so smoothly.
They were, in many ways, an intriguing organization.
Tsk. Anyway, I never dreamed the prince would be in a place like that. He's so different from the rumors, isn't he?
Leo said, smacking his lips.
How is he different, brother?
Well, they said the Sixth Prince was a real scoundrel, a madman. My first impression was similar to the rumors, but thinking back, I don't think that was his true self.
Karron looked at Leo and gave him a proud thumbs-up.
Wow, brother. You've gained some experience of the world and learned to read people, have you?
Is that a compliment?
Always being suspicious is a good habit, brother. Still, that prince fellow does seem like a madman.
He would need to keep watching and sizing him up for the time being.
What was the Sixth Prince's objective? What was he plotting? There was still too little information.
One thing was certain: a man like that was bound to cause a major incident.
In any case, they would meet again once they went to the capital.
He had said he would attend the banquet the Imperial Family was holding for Karron and Leo.
Karron gave a slight nod, then took a small crystal ball from his pocket.
It was the direct line of communication given to him by the leader of Kalligo, Poina.
Vwooom.
He infused a bit of mana into the crystal ball, and soon, Poina's voice echoed from it.
The fact that you're calling tells me things wrapped up successfully. Congratulations.
Wrapped up? This is just the beginning.
Hehe. So, are you going to grant my request now?
Her request was for him to get close to the Sixth Prince.
But Karron knew this wasn't about an ordinary friendship.
Circumstantially, Kalligo was a faction that protected the Sixth Prince.
In other words, the Sixth Prince had essentially expressed his desire to form a connection with the Leston Ducal Family.
That was why there was something he needed to make certain of first.
Why didn't you give the Leston Ducal Family a heads-up, even though you had this evidence?
The evidence Kalligo provided was twofold.
The bodies of the slaves used to plant the explosives and the supervisor who oversaw them.
It hadn't been revealed how such evidence had fallen into their hands.
But the answer that came back was very simple.
A simple answer. We didn't know your party was their target, Sir Karron.
There was plenty of time to remove the explosives.
What a funny thing to say. What would we have gained by removing the explosives? Surely you don't see us as some group that pursues justice? If you wanted cooperation, you should have asked sooner. 'The Leston party is taking the train, is there perhaps a problem with the tracks?' If you had asked us beforehand, we would have answered.
She expressed her displeasure, then spoke in a playful voice.
How can we attend a wedding we weren't even invited to?
So you would have helped if you had known?
If we had known in advance, we would have made a deal in advance, wouldn't we?
She wasn't wrong.
The fact that Karron's party was taking the train to the capital was known only within the Leston Ducal Family.
It was natural for Kalligo, based in Teve, not to know.
It's only natural for simpletons like us to profit from chaos.
If a 7th-circle mage is a simpleton, what does that make everyone else? Insects?
Tsk, tsk, there you go again.
I don't see how you found out O-yun was plotting something.
We were keeping an eye on that O-yun fellow to see what he was up to. The Leston Ducal Family just happened to get caught in the middle of it.
Aha, so he was a repeat offender?
How do you think a merchant of common birth made it into the Teve Council? It was only possible because he had connections in high places. That O-yun, he used to clean up the messes of esteemed individuals... Our targets are the ones behind him. Considering they mobilized the Imperial Guard to erase the evidence, I'd bet some very big fish are behind this.
Was that really why the Imperial Guard had come down so quickly?
Karron paused for a moment.
Could this organization, Kalligo, really be trusted?
...Not yet.
It was too early to judge.
They had helped solve this case, it was true, but he couldn't trust them implicitly because of it.
He needed to find out what their true objective was, and what they had been doing in Teve.
Now, you must give me an answer. What do you say, will you be friends with our Rio? Surely the great Grand Duke's grandson wouldn't go back on his word?
Poina pressed him from beyond the crystal ball. But Karron replied in a relaxed tone.
On hold.
...Ha, so this is how you backstab me?
My father always told me not to make friends with bad people.
Bad people?
Are you good people, then? Of course you're bad people. After all, you sell smuggled goods in back alleys.
A brief silence followed.
And then, a moment later.
Hahahaha! That's absolutely right. Yes. One must be careful with bad friends.
Poina's roar of laughter came through the crystal ball.
After laughing for a good while, Poina spoke in a soft voice.
Hmm, I suppose it's understandable that we still lack mutual trust. That can't be helped. It's a problem that time will solve.
I'll be sure to speak well of you to my grandfather.
Hm? Ah, it seems our young master has misunderstood. It's true that having a connection to the Leston Ducal Family would be good, but the one we want to connect with is you, Karron Leston.
Why me specifically?
Investing in people, that's the only principle that has allowed Kalligo to survive in Teve. Good lineage, good abilities, and good guts to top it off. Do I need to explain further? Haha.
She couldn't possibly be unaware of what her words implied.
Karron narrowed his eyes.
If you really can't trust us, please think of this incident as a gift. We have plenty of time to build trust, don't we?
Accepting things from bad people is a sure way to get a stomachache.
Who knows? You might need our help someday. You never know what life will bring. For instance... internal family strife, or something of that sort?
...You're quite the meddler.
You can contact me anytime through that crystal ball, so don't hesitate to call if you need help. Understood? Well then, I'm busy! See you again, my cute little wolf!
With those words, the light of the crystal ball faded.
Karron sighed and put the crystal back in his pocket.
Is there a water vein running under this entire city? Not a single person here is sane.
At that, Leo shook his head and replied.
By that logic, does your uncle's house have an underground river?
Huh? Why bring up my house all of a sudden?
...Never mind.
6.
Having wrapped everything up, Karron's party returned immediately to their lodgings.
You've worked hard.
The first to greet Karron's party was Jeras.
Were there any more attacks?
Karron recalled the assault by the mysterious assailants from earlier.
It had happened right after they received the evidence from Kalligo.
The enemies, with poison in their mouths, had rushed in to eliminate the evidence and O-yun's family.
If not for Jeras's actions, there surely would have been casualties.
No, sir, there were no incidents. Mayor Grine and Director-General Gail are waiting inside. Please, go in.
Yes.
As he entered the mansion with Jeras, he saw two familiar old men.
It seemed they had been talking, despite the late hour, well past midnight.
The moment Karron entered, both of them let out a simultaneous sigh of relief.
I'm back.
...I'm so glad you're safe, Karron. Do you have any idea how worried I was?
Hehe, you couldn't sleep because of me, could you, Grandfather?
How could I possibly sleep? Hm?
Karron's maternal grandfather, Gail, strode over and embraced him.
Are you hurt? Are you hurt anywhere?
Of course not. Whose grandson do you think I am?
Thank goodness, thank goodness!
The urgent matters were all finished.
All that remained was to sort out the situation.
After being held in his grandfather's arms for a while, Karron looked around and spoke.
Grandfather. Shouldn't we wrap things up properly?
Of course, we must.
Hehe, let's sit down and talk!
Skillfully soothing Gail, Karron immediately sat down in a chair. The other adults followed his lead and took their seats.
Mayor Grine.
Speak comfortably, young Karron.
You're aware of the impact this incident will have on Teve, aren't you?
At that question, Grine let out a low groan and nodded.
...I suppose so.
An incident where a member of the Teve Council nearly killed the grandsons of the Leston Ducal Family.
This meant Teve itself could not be free from responsibility.
The same was true for Grine, the mayor of Teve.
As I said before, I will cooperate fully with the investigation.
He was little more than a puppet mayor, but for that very reason, he could not escape responsibility.
A mayor, in the end, was a position of accountability.
If the Leston Ducal Family intends to hold me responsible for failing to prevent this incident, then of course...
It was then.
Hmm? What are you talking about?
Karron, who had been nibbling on a cookie from the table, looked at Grine with wide eyes.
Hold you responsible? What did you do wrong to us, Mayor?
But... you said we needed to wrap things up...
Come on, how could I hold someone my grandfather calls a brother responsible? Blood ties, regional ties, school ties! What's more important in life than those? I'm not that narrow-minded. Right, Sir Jeras?
...Go on, let's see where this goes.
Jeras decided to be a bystander to Karron's antics.
Wrapping up this incident was part of Karron's job.
Before coming here, Grand Duke Halo had told him something.
Let Karron do as he wishes.
He didn't know what this impulsive youngest ducal grandson was planning, but for now, he intended to stand by and watch, just as the family head had ordered.
You've been the most cooperative person in Teve, Mayor. We should be thanking you, not holding you responsible! I'm not that ungrateful.
That's right! How do you think I raised my Karron? I say, Grine, does my grandson look like such a shameless brat to you?
Brother, that's not what I meant...
Just listen to what Karron has to say. Our clever Karron must have a plan.
...Yes.
Gail's supporting fire was perfect.
Karron made a heart shape with his hands toward his grandfather. Then he gave Grine a bright smile.
As soon as morning comes, Mayor, please release an official statement. Just state the facts as they are. The train carrying the ducal grandsons of the Leston family was attacked, and O-yun has been arrested. That should be enough.
Typically, incidents like this were investigated in secret.
It was, after all, an incident involving a noble family and high-ranking officials.
For a noble house of the Leston family's stature to be attacked was directly tied to the family's prestige.
Wasn't that why they had kept the incident under wraps in the first place?
Grine's face, well aware of this fact, turned pale.
So you're saying... with my own hands, I'm to tarnish the Leston family's prestige...
If someone is trying to cover up the incident, what should we do?
If the Imperial Guard had truly come down to cover up the incident, then they were enemies of the ducal family.
In other words, what the enemy wanted was to quietly destroy the evidence.
Karron knew exactly what to do in a situation like this.
We blow it up so big they won't even dare to think about hiding it.
Do what the enemy would hate the most.
And.
We take this opportunity to paint the Council as a villainous group that attacked the Leston Ducal Family, and you, Mayor, become the righteous mayor who fights against injustice! What do you think, great idea, right?
Simultaneously, turn a crisis into an advantage.
Grine understood the meaning behind Karron's words. And so, he asked Karron cautiously.
Do I have the power to do that?
It's right in front of your eyes, Mayor.
Hah. The support of the Leston Ducal Family? How is that any different from my current situation?
It's completely different. Your relationship with the Council was one of employer and employee, but the relationship between the Leston Ducal Family and you, Mayor...
Karron smiled brightly.
Will be bound by a strong connection, won't it?
Teve was a truly attractive city.
That was why Karron.
Of course, we have to take it.
He decided to be greedy.