Chapter 655: The Source of Their Confidence
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 655: The Source of Their Confidence
"Bait? Your Majesty, do you mean..."
"Muen Campbell, Ariel Bugard, and this mysterious Crown Bearer... You see, once a handful of bait is scattered, don't all those things originally hidden in the depths of the lake reveal themselves?"
The old man gazed at the lake, teeming with fish leaping and splashing, his smile appearing profound and inscrutable.
"I see. Your Majesty is wise indeed."
The attendant bowed in admiration.
"However, speaking of the intelligence sent back from Belland, the talent of that Campbell boy and the previously obscure Ariel Bugard is truly terrifying. I thought the Seventeenth Prince's talent was already staggering enough, but I didn't expect there to be those who surpass His Highness... And most importantly, they are so young."
Youth meant possibility.
The Emperor of the Kingdom before him was already withered and old. He had ascended the throne when the Empire was still under the rule of the previous Emperor’s predecessor, having sat upon the Kingdom’s highest seat for nearly sixty years.
Beneath him were over a dozen sons who had long been coveting his position, watching like tigers stalking prey—some had even grown white hair while waiting for him to die.
Of course, the attendant would never voice such thoughts. Even as aged as he was, this brilliant King still knew exactly how to handle everything.
After all, he was a truly exceptional monarch capable of standing against the iron-fisted Audrich III. And now, he was merely facing Audrich III’s daughter.
"Yes, young." A flash of loathing flickered in the old man's eyes, though it was unclear whether it was directed at the Empire's youth or the concept of youth itself. "From the gathered intelligence, that young Empress’s methods are also extraordinary. The Empire’s luck is truly enviable; even after such a massive upheaval, remarkable figures continue to emerge. Meanwhile, my sons... every single one of them is a useless waste."
"Please, Your Majesty, calm your anger."
"I am not angry." The old man waved his hand dismissively. "It’s just as well that they are useless. It saves the world from greater calamities once they start fighting over the throne."
"Then..."
The attendant hesitated.
"If you have something to say, say it."
"Yes..."
The attendant replied respectfully, "My meaning is, since that is the case, should we still act so aggressively? As Your Majesty said, although the Empire is currently in a weakened state, it is far from the point of collapsing at a single touch. For us to act so rashly..."
"If we don't act now, should we wait until the little Campbell grows into a big Campbell, or the little Leopold becomes a big Leopold?"
The old man sneered. "The Empire seems weak, but in reality, that weakness is the result of scraping the bone to excise poison; it is the frailty of one who has just recovered from a severe illness. Fools believe the Empire is on the brink of collapse, but those with true vision know that once the Empire weathers this storm and re-establishes a complete and effective internal order... it will only become stronger than it is now!"
At this, the old man couldn't help but sigh. "To be honest, I actually envy the current state of the Empire. All internal resistance has been cleared away, allowing that young Empress to exercise her power as she pleases. Yet, the moment I try to do anything, a bunch of short-sighted fools jump out to annoy me."
"I see."
The attendant’s admiration deepened. "Your Majesty’s insight is profound. Though the Empire is formidable, the Kingdom will surely march toward victory under your leadership."
"There is no need for further flattery. You and I both know that the Kingdom alone is not enough. Therefore..."
The old man suddenly stood up. His frame beneath the white ceremonial robe was surprisingly tall, showing no signs of a man nearing a hundred years of age. His gaze was like lightning as he looked majestically at the attendant.
"Have our friends from afar arrived yet?"
"Of course, Your Majesty."
The attendant placed a hand over his chest. "I came specifically to report this to you. At the same time, I bring excellent news."
"Oh? Good news?"
The old man clapped and laughed. "I hope that good news is exactly what I suspect it to be!"
*
The Kingdom, Royal Capital.
A man completely concealed within a voluminous black robe walked through the bustling streets.
Though it fell slightly short of Belland, as the political and economic center of the Kingdom, it was still immensely prosperous.
Pedestrians hurried by, weaving through the streets.
Carriages sped past, carrying unknown nobles.
Vendors on both sides cried out their wares, the sheer variety of goods almost overwhelming to the eye.
Countless buildings stretched for miles, and looking up, the view was filled with neat rows of structures stacked together like small blocks.
The man stood still, seemingly stunned by the sight.
A woman carrying a bag of apples passed by him, accidentally bumping into him and knocking several apples to the ground.
"Where did this country bumpkin come from?!"
The woman cursed, but after glancing at the man’s height—which was significantly taller than average—she swallowed hard. She abandoned the idea of extorting him and didn't even bother to pick up the bruised apples, walking away while muttering profanities.
"..."
Only then did the man seem to notice what had happened.
He stared blankly at the woman’s swaying hips as she departed, then slowly lowered his head to look at the apple that had rolled to his feet.
The apple was red and flush, like a young girl's cheek, but now it was smashed. The white flesh, mixed with juice, stained his dirty boots.
The apple was completely ruined, mingled with dirt and filthy water from the street. In a place like the Royal Capital, even a beggar would likely disdain such a thing.
But the man suddenly picked up the apple and, without even cleaning it, took a bite.
Suddenly, the man froze again. He seemed shocked by the crisp sound of his teeth meeting the flesh and the sweetness blooming from the juice. His facial muscles began to twitch almost uncontrollably.
Twitching with excitement.
Soon, the man moved again, wolfing down the entire apple until not even the core remained.
Delicious.
A deliciousness he had never tasted before.
"Fertile land, clean air, sweet fruit... how wonderful."
The man gazed once more at the beautiful street and the clamoring crowds, whispering in a low murmur:
"What a pity... such beautiful things are occupied by such lowly creatures. What a waste."
*
Creeeeeak—
The heavy iron door was pushed open, letting out a sharp, ear-grating screech.
Muen gave a light wave of his hand, dispersing the drifting dust and stench as he stepped into the cell once more.
It was still the legendary Black Prison.
However, this was not the same area as last time. The place that held serial killers and urban legends was merely the uppermost, most lenient level of the entire Black Prison.
This time, he was further down. The terrifying suppressive force seemed to seep into one's very marrow. Even though he wasn't wearing shackles and hadn't entered as a prisoner, Muen still felt his body grow incredibly heavy.
"Are you alright?"
Muen looked at the disheveled woman in the cell and asked softly.
Clink.
Hearing his voice, heavy chains rubbed together slowly. A pair of slender hands lifted to part her messy hair.
Her face was filthy and deathly pale, clearly showing she had suffered significant injuries, though fortunately, her eyes remained somewhat bright.
"Mr... Mr. Muen, have you come to see me?"
"We are acquaintances, after all, aren't we?"
Muen waved his hand, signaling the jailers behind him to leave for a moment. He stepped into the cell and sat down opposite the woman.
"It’s been a long time, Miss Seviel."
Muen smiled. "Though we’ve met a few times, this is the first time we’ve had a proper greeting."
"It... it has been a long time."
Seviel awkwardly tried to tidy her messy hair and filthy prison clothes, but the environment of the dungeon made it impossible for her to regain her former glamour. For a moment, she didn't even know where to put her hands and feet.
"I didn't expect our meeting this time to be in such a setting."
Muen looked around, suddenly feeling a bit sentimental.
But on second thought, his first encounter with Miss Seviel had been in Twilight Village, amidst rotting limbs and rampaging monsters. That hadn't exactly been a pleasant place either.
"How are you? They haven't tortured you, have they?" Muen asked.
From the depths of the prison, agonizing curses and humble pleas for mercy drifted over constantly. Intermingled with them were the bone-chilling sounds of flesh tearing, bones snapping, and souls trembling.
These were the people from the Kingdom’s diplomatic delegation.
After being captured, they had all been imprisoned here. As the price for daring to attack the Empire's intelligence agency, most were undergoing interrogation by professionals. Those horrific methods were enough to make even Muen, who was accustomed to death, feel uneasy.
"No, they haven't."
Seviel lowered her head, her hands hidden in her tattered sleeves trembling slightly, though she forced them still. "Perhaps it just hasn't been my turn yet."
"You don't have to be interrogated," Muen said suddenly.
"Even though I don't hold any official position right now and it's not easy for me to interfere in Imperial affairs, I can guarantee you—you don't have to be interrogated."
"On the condition that I betray my motherland?"
Seviel suddenly let out a mocking laugh.
Even though she had been led to this point by her closest teacher and her own country—and even now harbored doubts about the cause of her cousin's death—it was still very difficult for her to suddenly abandon everything she had stood for in the first half of her life.
"It’s not about betraying the Kingdom."
Muen kept his tone as gentle as possible. "I imagine Hertz wouldn't have told you anything regarding core secrets anyway. You are victims too. What we want to know is... why did the Kingdom do this? Where does their confidence come from?"
The dim yellow candlelight at the top of the cell flickered, but it couldn't hide the handsome features of his face.
Seviel was momentarily dazed. As she lost herself in his appearance, she suddenly remembered that it was precisely because of this face that she’d had those budding romantic thoughts in the first place.
How much of that was true love?
Judging by how she had shrunk back after being intimidated by those high-and-mighty women... perhaps, truly, not much.
"I... I don't know."
Seviel shook her head. "In fact, I was also very shocked by these developments."
"Shocked? Was there nothing unusual within the Kingdom?"
If the Kingdom wanted to escalate this war to a higher level, it was impossible for there to be no changes internally.
The transport of resources, the mobilization of personnel, the transmission of orders... such a massive machine could not operate without making a sound.
In fact, this was what Muen found strangest. If the Kingdom were prepared to go to total war with the Empire, it was impossible for the Empire's intelligence agencies to have received no word of it.
The Empire spent so much money every year to maintain so many people so they could be the first line of defense, not to raise a pack of useless fools.
And facts had proven that the Empire did not raise fools, but truly ferocious hounds that had once bitten the Kingdom until it wailed in misery.
"I really don't know... Before I left the Kingdom, everything there was normal. It didn't feel at all like they were going to risk everything in a desperate struggle with the Empire."
Seviel pinched the corner of her clothes, hesitated for a moment, and then suddenly said:
"Therefore, I feel that if the Kingdom really has some kind of trump card... is that source of confidence perhaps not located within the Kingdom itself?"
"Not within the Kingdom? What does that mean?"
Muen frowned, falling into deep thought.
Based on Seviel's line of reasoning, could it be that the ones wanting to attack the Empire weren't just the Kingdom, but other nations as well?
But...
"Young Master Campbell."
His thoughts were interrupted.
Muen looked up at the jailer who had suddenly walked in. "What is it?"
"Her Majesty is looking for you."
The jailer said, "She says there is a matter of great importance."
*
The "reunion" ended abruptly. Having received the order, Muen quickly made his way to the Imperial Palace. Along the way, perhaps because word had been sent ahead, Muen encountered no obstacles; the entire palace was completely open to him.
Finally, he arrived at the Throne Hall.
Majestic murals were carved into the massive pillars, and statues of the first generation of Glorious Knights still stood around the hall.
Though their descendants were corrupt, greedy, and foolish beyond measure, no one could deny the immense contributions they had once made to this nation.
Celicia sat high upon the throne, her eyes closed as she took a brief nap. The entire Throne Hall was currently empty, without even a guard or a maid in sight.
But Muen could clearly sense the lingering presence of others who had not yet fully dissipated.
It seemed a very important Imperial council had been held here, discussing serious topics concerning the future of the Empire, only coming to a temporary close now, in the dead of night.
Muen could feel the unmistakable exhaustion radiating from Celicia. It seemed that in the two days since Milne's death, her mind had been in a state of extreme tension.
"Are you okay?"
Muen walked up quietly and began massaging Celicia’s temples.
"You seem very tired."
"..."
A moment of silence followed.
Then, a long sigh.
In the vast, empty Throne Hall, that sigh was like a cold wind blowing through midsummer, causing a sense of heartfelt unease.
"Muen."
Celicia leaned her cheek affectionately against Muen’s hand.
She rarely made such intimate gestures, and she rarely called Muen’s name so tenderly.
"I'm sorry, but you need to go to the Abyss."
"Why?"
Though he had already begun to have a premonition, Muen asked instinctively.
"Because..."
Celicia opened her eyes.
"The Abyss Defense Line... something has happened on your father's side."