Chapter 425

At that time, in the main residence of Duke Tain in the capital.

Normally, by this hour, the Duke of Tain would have already departed for the gambling den. However, he had not yet left his study. He paced around with an irritated expression, attempting to calm himself by sitting down and sipping tea, but his gaze never stopped wandering restlessly about the room.

There was only one reason for his anxiety: he had not received any word from the West, despite the fact that everything should have been settled by now.

Neither Baron Willhem nor the loyal southern merchants had sent any news. He had even summoned a mage to activate the magic communication device connected to the Willhem family, but no answer had returned. This was a first.

Though it had only been a day, it felt like an eternity had passed. Unable to bear the anxiety, the Duke eventually filled a short pipe, engraved with his family's crest, with tobacco. He was just about to light it when a moment came.

A heavy knocking, followed by a voice from outside, rang out.

"Your Grace, some visitors have arrived."

"Let them in at once!"

The Duke's eyes brightened momentarily at the news of a visitor but twisted into disappointment the moment he saw the people entering. They were not the ones he was waiting for.

"...Theorado? And others as well... What brings you here without notice at this hour?"

"Oh, Your Grace, it seems you were expecting someone else? The butler did not mention... If you're busy, perhaps it's better to meet another time?"

An elderly man standing next to Theorado, the Commander of the Imperial Knights, asked in a seemingly gentle voice. He was a distant relative of the Duke of Tain and had served alongside the previous Duke, making him a person not to be trifled with. The man had been retired, living in a southern villa, and it was unclear when he had arrived.

Along with the old man, all those accompanying Theorado were members of the Tain family.

Why had so many of them suddenly gathered here all at once?

A bad premonition came to him, but the Duke nodded for now.

"No... no, it's fine. Come in."

With his permission, over a dozen people entered the study. At the end of the line, the Duke spotted two familiar yet foreign faces after a very long time.

A young man and woman with red hair resembling the Duke's greeted him with an elegant bow.

"Hello, Father."

"Pruelle, Priscilla? What brings you two here?"

"You're speaking strangely. Are we not allowed to visit the main residence?"

Pruelle answered with an impeccable smile.

Though they lived in the capital, the Duke of Tain and his children did not share a home. Living separately in another mansion in the 3rd District, their sudden arrival with other members of the Tain family was nothing if not strange.

The Duke of Tain turned his head toward Theorado and the others, his eyes filled with suspicion and wariness.

"Your Grace, we have come here today to hear your response to certain voices within the family, claiming that over the past few years, you have been deceived by foreign swindlers, plunging our family's prestige and financial state into serious crisis."

The old man who met the Duke's eyes answered quietly.

"At first, we hoped it was merely a rumor. However, upon investigation, we found that indeed, over half of the Tain family's most significant assets have been pledged or already disposed of without consent, either held as collateral or already sold off."

The elite knights who were supposed to work for the family were mostly tied down in meaningless places for the Duke's business, rather than in the west where monsters were likely to appear. Moreover, many of those who had managed the family's fortune for generations had suddenly been driven away within a few years. Endless stories of the Duke's arbitrary actions flowed from the old man's lips.

"What do you think of this?"

"This insolence! How dare you pry into what I, the master of the family, am doing?"

The Duke retorted sharply.

"This is absurd. I don't know whose words you've been listening to, but if you've come to dispute my business, leave at once!"

"Is that the only answer you will give?"

"Answer or not, why should I endure such an insult from you? Were these the words of those who were driven away? Theorado, I am greatly disappointed if you, who should know the situation, have also believed and joined them. Was it you who brought the children?"

Theorado did not respond. Instead, another stepped forward, letting out a dry laugh.

"Ha ha, it wasn't anyone who brought them. Quite the opposite. They informed us of this fact and gathered us themselves."

"...Who, gathered?"

The Duke asked, doubting his own ears.

"I trust that the master of the Tain family will not be unaware of the family's traditions and laws. If it is judged that Your Grace, the Duke, has fallen into a physical and mental state too dire to function, those with the qualifications of the heir can summon us."

"And today, a meeting will be held here to decide the second child, Princess Priscilla as the next heir."

"...What?"

At the consecutive words, the Duke was at a loss for words. His gaze, filled with anger, turned towards Pruelle and his daughter Priscilla standing beside her brother. His furious eyes scanned the unfamiliar faces of his children.

"What nonsense is this, to hold a meeting I've neither heard of nor agreed to? What do you think you're doing?"

"We know what we need to, Father."

Pruelle calmly replied.

"And we also know that the answer you're waiting for from the west will never arrive. Everyone knows, not just me."

Pruelle smiled gently, patting his younger sister's shoulder. Priscilla, her long red hair neatly tied, looked defiantly at her father.

"You're insane, Pruelle. What on earth are you talking about!"

"I'm not the insane one, perhaps it's you, Father. Have you forgotten that I recently visited the west? Thinking of what I saw there, I still find it hard to hide my sorrow at how you've become this way."

At the sight of his smiling son, the Duke's heart raced wildly. For the first time, he realized that his children were not the small, insignificant creatures he had perceived them to be.

A son who had grown taller than his father, and a daughter who had learned to give a chilling stare.

All that he thought he knew was overturned in an instant, and cold sweat ran down his back. The Duke breathed heavily, clutching his chest.

Then, the sound of knocking came again. Without waiting for an answer, those who entered were the Emperor's direct guards, who had not left the Sun Palace for years. Following them were others in unfamiliar black uniforms.

Unlike the bewildered Duke, the others merely looked at the intruders with indifferent faces, as if they had known all along that they would come.

"Your Highness, Duke Tain. This is the imperial edict sent by His Majesty the Emperor."

Duke Tain had unfolded the paper with trembling hands.

Contained within was a brief and succinct command that read: "Information has been obtained that an Awakener from the southern countries, seeking to disturb the Empire, have conspired with Duke Tain. As we intend to send a Cavalry member possessing the authority to investigate matters related to the Awakener, do not obstruct them."

The time for executing the command was specified as the moment Duke Tain had confirmed it.

"Awakener? Who on earth is this Awakener?"

"If you have verified it, I will accept the command."

As the Duke's mumbling fell, the Imperial Guards quickly bowed, gesturing towards the men dressed in black uniforms.

"Your Highness, Duke Tain. I am Deputy Commander Steiber Rendley of the Cavalry. From now on, I will receive the orders of His Majesty the Emperor and the Commander and momentarily escort your honorable personage. Please forgive the intrusion."

A middle-aged man who was smiling kindly stepped forward and greeted him.

"I did not permit this. Who exactly is the Awakener, and who is investigating me? Stop these guys right now, Theorado! Theo!"

The Duke's voice, calling Theorado's name frantically, echoed and dispersed throughout the vast mansion.

But there was no one who came running to his aid.

...

"Have you finished all the investigations?"

"Yeah. As expected, there wasn't much valuable information, so it ended quickly."

Yuder looked at Kishiar's face, who had returned from the security management team sooner than expected. The day after everything was overturned, they had a busier day than anyone else.

While Kishiar had summoned and interrogated the nobles brought in by the security management team, Yuder had examined the laborers brought by the Star of Nagran and the southern merchants. The laborers had little information about the southern merchants, so the gains were scant, but the case with the Star of Nagran was slightly different.

It was a significant harvest, as they were able to properly confront Hosanna, the teleporter who had been troubling them for so long.

'Even though it was only in his sleeping form.'

Hosanna had been shocked to see the transformed appearance of Finn Eldore, who had secretly sneaked into the bed in place of Graham Willhem, whom he tried to kill, and had fallen in a faint. It was good that he was easily subdued in the opportunity, but the sleeping potion that Finn had drugged him with had been too much, and he was still unconscious.

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