Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Newcomer Welcome Ceremony (1)
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Northern Imperial Palace.
A large-scale meeting was held here, in Princess Camillia's office.
The agenda was important enough to draw even the heavyweights from the capital.
The promising talent selection tournament scheduled for next month, no less.
It used to be just a simple sparring event, but with the Grand Elder pouring in support lately, it had grown to continental scale.
Enough to attract attention beyond the Empire, even from foreign lands.
However, this tournament had one major unwritten rule.
No one with established fame or high rank could participate.
It was a stage meant solely for true rising stars.
The leaders of each faction attended the meeting with noticeably excited expressions.
The Princess, Tutton, and the Holy See.
The three most powerful figures in the North sat around the round table.
"I hope you've all been well."
The woman with radiant golden hair and blue eyes—Princess Camillia—greeted the other two first.
"Yes. Thanks to you, we've been doing splendidly."
Calix Angard replied with a perfunctory smile.
He certainly hadn't been doing well, thanks to the woman before him.
The Holy See's image as the state religion, built up over time, had been shattered by the Princess's rhetoric.
For him, whose influence had been crushed, this was a desperate need for a breakthrough.
And for that, he needed a star player to win the tournament.
"The same for us."
Tutton was in the same boat.
His eyes were hollow from dealing with subordinates caught in the aphrodisiac wave.
He'd even gotten chewed out by the Crown Prince recently about how he was handling internal discipline.
Thanks to that, he'd drawn up a hit list and purged a few close aides.
The only one who truly profited from all this was the Princess.
To check her now, one of his own had to win this major tournament.
For this day, he'd recruited promising talents and swordsmen from the eastern continent.
Through them, he planned to rein in the Princess and even snatch away Myoran.
"Have you all finalized your participants for the tournament?"
Both leaders nodded at the Princess's question.
"Yes. We've got our Holy Knights, after all."
"I've prepared well on my end too."
They gave the Princess a meaningful look.
They knew who their entrants were, but not hers.
The strongest in her faction were herself and Northern Commander Conan.
Both were young, but their ranks were already too high.
Commanders couldn't compete in a promising talent match.
So they were confident they'd have the edge this time.
Archbishop Calix and Tutton exchanged subtle glances.
Though from different factions, with a common enemy, a temporary alliance made sense.
"Who does Your Highness plan to send out?"
"Indeed. Your Highness's accomplishments are already too illustrious for a promising talent slot."
They subtly tried to sideline her, lightly at first.
The Princess caught the intent but didn't argue.
"That's a secret."
She had no intention of entering herself, after all.
"It's a kid who hasn't gained any recognition yet. It'd be too much pressure if word got out early."
A new talent under the cool-headed Princess?
They looked puzzled, speculating who this carefully selected prospect might be.
"You'll be shocked when you hear. It's a man you least expect."
Archbishop Calix scowled at that.
Most talents she'd nurtured so far had been women.
She barely glanced at most men, even despising them.
That the first man she'd chosen was intriguing.
Tutton agreed.
Not just his family, but numerous great nobles had repeatedly sought her tutelage.
Most couldn't last a month under her ruthlessness and methods.
Yet someone had endured that hell?
The two fell silent at this unexpected variable in what they'd thought would be an easy tournament.
The Holy See especially let out a short sigh.
"What a shame. We'd hoped to send one of our Holy Knights as a talent."
Holy Knights were selected for their handsome looks and fine physiques.
Deployed to factions, they specialized in extracting info or corrupting from within.
That's why even the fake saintess had been picked as the prettiest fallen noble lady.
But none had lasted with the Princess—all washed out.
The failed knights said it was because they were too obedient and lacked grit.
"It's fine. The one I'm training now is enough."
Of course, the Princess had seen through the Holy See's intentions from the start.
Who wouldn't like a handsome man? She'd just rejected them because their filthy motives were plain in their eyes.
The first man she'd taken to wasn't like that.
Noble eyes wanting to protect the Empire, pure loyalty without malice.
Those emerald eyes gleaming from the shadows under his brow.
They synergized decadently with his strikingly handsome face, leaving a deep impression.
And he wasn't obedient—he looked at her with arrogant eyes, like she was a bratty little sister.
That insolence oddly provoked the conqueror of the North.
"I think that's enough for the meeting. His Majesty will handle preparations fairly, so just submit your participant lists."
She might even promote Derek straight from that dreary prison to her close aide.
If so...
They could commute together every morning.
Just like in those romance novels about men she enjoyed.
"Understood. I hope this tournament is a success."
"We're quite looking forward to Your Highness's secret card."
"Good. Give it your all."
The Princess, with her white jacket draped over her shoulders, stood first.
She left the meeting room with dignified strides, hands behind her back.
"......"
Once outside, Camillia sat on the terrace until Tutton and Archbishop Calix's carriages departed.
Silently feeling the warming spring breeze.
"The wind has changed."
It felt like a new era was dawning.
Change was finally coming to the Princess's grim life.
Northern Imperial Palace exit.
Before boarding their carriages, the Grand Duke and the Archbishop met eyes.
They instinctively knew they were thinking the same thing.
Who exactly was the Princess raising?
"You don't know either?"
"No clue. Who'd have thought she'd train a man?"
Even Tutton, with frequent imperial dealings as a Grand Duke, was in the dark.
She'd hidden him so thoroughly—it only made him more suspicious.
"At least he's definitely a Northern noble. I'd know if he were from the capital."
"Perfect, then. Most Northern power is with the Crown Prince, right?"
The red-haired middle-aged man nodded gruffly.
"Plenty of nobles follow your faith too. Let's share what we find."
"Agreed. We need to join forces this time."
The hulking Tutton snorted like a beast.
"Just don't cross lines. Especially no ugly tricks like that aphrodisiac."
"......Understood."
The two boarded their carriages.
The Archbishop sharply urged his coachman to leave before Tutton's.
"Ugly tricks? A toothless lion with sky-high pride."
Alone in the back seat, the Archbishop slammed the handle.
He clutched his head, speaking with murderous eyes.
"Hoo... What'd you find on my order?"
"Here. All the info on the Warden."
The silver-haired woman—his coachman and secretary, who looked just like Anje—handed over documents.
"Derek Minster. The youngest of a family that does anything for money."
"Right. But this guy's no ordinary suspect."
"Doesn't look special. Academy grad is his whole resume."
"Previous Wardens died in under a month, but he's lasted over forty days. No transfer requests to superiors."
Meaning Anje had kept the Warden alive.
A variable for her, designed to act solely by scripture.
"Kept him alive? Minster scum should've been killed outright."
"Could be brainwashing for slavery, but low odds."
The former saintess and secretary narrowed her eyes coldly.
"Recently, he survived the Princess's Confession Magic unscathed. He endured both the saintess and Princess in full senses."
He'd withstood the two she couldn't control.
Calix immediately took interest in the profile.
"Really? Confession Magic usually leaves survivors half-crippled."
"Plus, reports of nearby nobles visiting him lately."
"High-nosed Northern nobles going to a backwater prison..."
"Yes. Definitely suspicious movements."
The Archbishop, too busy with the saintess side due to the aphrodisiac fallout, groaned at this new prospect.
"Worth watching, then."
"The only man the Princess has shown interest in since Confession Magic."
The Princess, saintess, and even nobles had met him.
No matter his trash family, this was beyond suspicious.
"Who among our followers has the purest faith?"
"Holy Knight candidates, probably. The most ambitious for advancement."
Holy Knights got floods of perks.
Massive stipends to maintain dignity and woo noble ladies.
Some joined for that; others like Anje, brainwashed by scripture from youth.
They were ready to do anything for the Archbishop.
"Send them to Berryhill Prison."
Calix closely studied the portrait of the man in the profile.
Derek Minster, decent-looking but radiating a shady, decrepit aura.
"Infiltrate as prisoners. Get info from Anje and this guy."
"As the Lord's will."
The seasoned Archbishop sank into deep thought amid the rocking carriage.
This man might be the Princess's promising talent...
"Did I misjudge the Princess's tastes?"
The Archbishop, who'd spent wild nights with countless female devotees since youth,
tapped Derek's portrait with a bruised ego.
"Thought she liked upright, obedient types, but this guy's..."
A haughty young master type who'd enjoy imprisoning women and neglecting them.
He hadn't expected such a face to catch her eye first.
Of course, it might just be guilt over the Confession Magic.
But Calix sensed something intangible in the man who'd endured even the saintess.
"Maybe the Princess just wants to play queen to a girl."
The Archbishop pulled out fine wine from the back seat.
And once he learned more about Derek this time...
He planned to dispatch a shady-looking man resembling him to the Princess.
With wine in one hand, the Archbishop wrote a letter.
His note about new prisoners soon arrived at Berryhill Prison's mailbox.
The Vice Warden who received it headed straight to the back of the prison.
Approaching the man repairing the dog hole with a hammer.
"Warden, a letter from above."
"Read it for me?"
I asked, hammer in hand, and Clea Rockhart paused briefly.
Panting in the shady spot, swinging that hammer...
It looked just like bludgeoning someone to death and hiding the evidence.
"Five new prisoners arriving soon."
"Oh? Then we need to prepare a welcome."
Finally, brand-new prisoners.
I stood with excited anticipation.
The prison rules and uniforms I'd worked hard on were ready.
"Wonder what kinda guys they are."