Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Prison Inspection (3)
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News arrived that the Red Horse Unit had appeared in the northern Empire.
That news irritated the Black Lioness, who had been resting after training.
"The Audit Director Page went to Berryhill?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Pretending to raid a mafia hideout, he headed north with a small elite squad."
Blonde Camillia sat up in bed, dark circles shadowing her porcelain face as she spoke.
"It's not the Minster Group they're after. They're targeting Derek himself."
The Imperial Audit Director never moved without cause. He only took action personally when the Prince demanded it strongly.
"Prepare my horse. I need to head to Berryhill right now."
"Are you sure... ? You seem quite fatigued lately."
"How can I rest when the Prince is going after my top subordinate?"
"Understood. I'll get everything ready immediately."
Sensing her commander's sincerity, the unit leader hurried off.
The Princess rose swiftly and stretched her body.
"Ivan... coveting my people again."
He'd sent Page to disrupt the tournament preparations. Then, once Derek was disqualified and stripped of his warden post, he'd swoop in pretending to be the savior.
"Not happening."
Camillia, who had already lost several talents to such schemes, headed to her wardrobe with a chilling blank expression.
'Come to think of it, every recent incident ties back to Derek.'
He was undeniably exceptional.
Turning the Empire's headache—the mafias—into his own forces.
Thanks to him, illegal operations in the capital had shrunk dramatically, and public safety had stabilized.
On top of that, he was successfully taming the dangerous inmates who had devoured the previous warden.
Among all the men she'd observed, he ranked at the top in competence.
But that was exactly what made her uneasy.
If you were talented, you knew when to settle for less. Lately, though, his value had skyrocketed too much.
"After daring to propose to royalty, he should've just stayed in the capital."
She would've handed him everything on a silver platter if he'd remained her subordinate.
Of course, his drive for self-improvement was commendable. When she eventually took him as her consort, no one could call him a parachute appointment.
But stand too tall, and you'd get hammered down like a protruding nail.
Just like becoming the Audit Director's target now.
"In that case, better to clip his wings..."
The Princess, now dressed in a form-fitting knit top, glanced back.
A dragon doll with torn wings sat quietly in the corner of the bed.
Ancient, yet still gleaming with luster.
It gazed solely at her with a bright smile.
"......"
Camillia smiled in satisfaction.
Yet her blue eyes, nestled in lustrous golden locks, clouded over for an instant.
Just as a sparkling lake plunges into a dark abyss at its depths.
'No, Derek isn't a doll.'
The Princess barely suppressed the sudden surge of desire.
She blinked her sharpened blue eyes and thought again.
'I'll keep watching for now. I can always capture him when he flies too high into danger.'
Camillia decided to observe for the time being.
Her leisure stemmed from the leash binding the doll.
Grade: Transcendent Artifact Function: Any being below Grand Master level who wears it obeys the owner's commands. Description: Prohibited for private ownership by national law. Severe punishment awaits anyone caught with it.
Warning: Current owner is not Grand Master realm. If worn accidentally by self, cannot be removed.
"First things first—stop the Audit Director."
The Princess changed into her riding attire and set off for Berryhill.
Unknowingly, she'd dressed with a bit more intensity than usual.
Her superb horsemanship got her to Berryhill in just a few hours.
Perfectly timed—Page's Red Horse Unit was arriving too.
The two heavyweights faced off at the modest village entrance.
"Long time no see, Your Highness."
"Audit Director. Indeed."
The burly man eyed the Princess in her knit top and slacks.
"Out and about, I see."
"Yes. One of my subordinates lives nearby."
Both knew exactly why the other was there.
"What a coincidence. I have business with that 'subordinate' myself."
"No need for formalities. I'm just here to ensure the audit is fair."
"Hmm. Confident in your subordinate's integrity?"
"There'd be no issue if you didn't nitpick unreasonably."
The Princess, mounted on her white horse, crossed her arms alone.
Her overflowing confidence matched her regal poise, straight hair fluttering.
"Very well. Your reaction has me quite eager."
The Audit Director cracked his neck side to side with audible pops.
He licked his lips, relishing the thrill of hunting flaws in what seemed perfect.
"Let's start by gauging the locals' view of the warden."
Rather than storming the prison, he began with neighborhood inquiries.
Camillia furrowed her brow at the approach.
To the clueless villagers, Derek's notorious reputation would naturally be poor.
The middle-aged man before her wasn't just brawny—he was meticulous too.
"All of you, wait here. Her Highness and I will investigate alone."
The man in red uniform clasped hands behind his back leisurely.
He stopped first at a fruit stall.
"Hey there. Do you supply fruits to the prison up the hill?"
His aura compelled total honesty.
The headscarved woman opened her mouth cautiously.
"Yes, but... what's this about...?"
"Nothing serious. We're inspectors from the capital—just answer truthfully, no need to tense up."
The Princess watched with some tension in her eyes too.
She hadn't visited the prison village lately amid her busyness.
This was her first time hearing its reputation.
"Any issues delivering fruits to him? Like shortchanging you."
The Audit Director had already gathered all intel on Derek.
Given his family's loan shark fame, he expected tales of bullying.
"Anything at all. I need your honest take on the prison."
But.
The fruit seller gave a completely unexpected reply.
"Warden Derek? Good man. Always pays full price for our fruits."
"......?"
"Lately, he even brought peach jam toast he made himself. So delicious..."
"T-toast?"
Casual-clad Camillia let out a soft chuckle.
Her fresh voice stung Page's pride—his eyes twitched beneath.
"Not that! Any discomforts from dealings with them."
"Oh, the prison has caused a bit of trouble lately."
Jackpot.
Finally, a real weakness.
"That's it! Tell me more."
He grinned victoriously and pressed.
That moment.
"With the Wolf Boys craze? Tourists everywhere."
"Huh...?"
Page's face went white as an ox statue.
In ten years as Imperial Audit Director, he'd never heard anything like it.
"Noble ladies buy our fruits for gifts, demand the best, keep fussing."
The muscled man unwittingly stepped back.
The Princess beside him smirked with leisurely queenly eyes.
"Doesn't sound like the answer you wanted, Audit Director."
"......"
Soured by the total mismatch to expectations, he strode ahead rigidly.
Fruit stall, grain merchant, hardware store.
He sternly gathered info from prison-area residents.
"Warden Derek? Bought flour few days back—carried it himself, didn't boss guards around. Impressive sight."
"Borrowed a shovel recently, returned it sharpened. Cherishes tools so much, I just gave it free."
All spoke brightly of Derek.
Fierce-looking but good person, they said frankly.
"Who are you, prying so much about the warden?"
"Yeah, you look more suspicious than him."
The citizens eyed Audit Director Page—the supposed champion of justice—with doubt.
He pressed his lips tight and had no choice but to leave the village.
"Any leads, Audit Director?"
The relieved Princess yawned languidly.
"Too early to say. The better the public favor, the more flaws hide inside."
His pitch-black eyes flashed as he adjusted his tie.
"To the prison. Today, I'll turn it upside down."
Intense gaze honed from felling countless corrupt officials.
Derek Minster's mugshot screamed typical sleazy bureaucrat.
"You seem unusually obsessed with Warden Derek. Does my growing influence irk you that much?"
"...That's not it."
Truth was, his dogged pursuit of Derek went beyond the Prince's orders.
"The mafia ties on the target just grated on me."
"Suffered badly at their hands, have you?"
The two rode side by side.
Berryhill Prison drew nearer.
"Back when I taught at the academy, I had promising students I cherished. Talented bunch, but their parents' debts forced arranged marriages."
"Mafia behind the pressure?"
"Yes. Kids with big dreams stopped showing up one day."
"That's why you quit teaching for the auditor post."
The middle-aged man nodded quietly.
Staring at the prison entrance, he spoke.
"Mafia makes my blood boil. Everyone tangled with them."
The Princess had no choice but to understand his stance.
Mafias were the Empire's rotten tumors, after all.
She'd frowned at reports of their atrocities too.
"And one of my old students is in this prison. That's big too."
"Old student...?"
News to her.
The Princess dismounted with Page, tilting her head.
"Clea Rockhart. Top academy graduate, made Imperial Secretary—my prized disciple."
Page wore a father's worried scowl, like dropping off his daughter.
Even distant guards tensed up.
"Who knows what hell she's enduring here..."
The Audit Director stomped forward like a bull-headed monster.
What horrors in this dingy, ancient building?
Had his young disciple already been defiled by filthy mafias?
Amid ghastly imaginings, they entered the first floor.
"......?"
He froze at a very familiar face in the corridor.
"No more Oppa Bros perfume?"
"Can't find Uncle's stuff—where is it?"
Gaudy noble ladies filled the grim prison hallway.
Clea Rockhart stood among them, looking utterly fed up.
"Everyone, line up please. Before I box it all up."
She distributed merch with the world's most annoyed expression.
Wearing a wolf-ear headband, Wolf Boys' signature item, no less.
"Sis doing Wolf Boys concept too? Total pro-."
"Cute—slipped in a tip."
Lively ladies drained Clea's energy dry.
Tips piled high, but her sour face held.
"She does look pretty tormented."
The trailing Princess nodded matter-of-factly.
She patted Page's shoulder—his worldview shattered.
"Not everyone lives up to prejudices, Audit Director."
Page rubbed his eyes and looked again at Clea.
Very annoyed, sure—but not a scratch on her.
"Warden, after the event ends, you're in for it."
Thriving enough to hassle even her boss.
"Come help already? Gonna leech honey from afar?"
The warden emerged from his office.
Wolf Boys profits left him serene-faced.
"Suits you perfect, Clea. Matches your vibe spot-on."
He stepped out to the stall, arms loaded with merch.
And that instant.
His eyes met Camillia's, watching from afar.
"......!"
The Princess's lips parted at the sight of him.
Not just Clea...
I was wearing one of the Wolf Boys merch items too—a dragon-horn headband.
Blamed for my perpetually grumpy look, I'd magicked away the dark circles.
Back to my academy-days fresh face.
"You've arrived, Your Highness."
Camillia stared blankly for a moment.
Her under-eye circles and fatigue vanished entirely.
"You look even more beautiful today."
In that instant, her mind flashed to...
The collar back in her chambers.