Chapter 213 : Chapter 213

Chapter 213 - A Staged Incident

“What ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍brings you here, Kunkan?”

“It ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍is not as though we cannot suddenly share a cup of tea, Raymond. As it happens, both of us are off duty for the first time in a while.”

Recently, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the number of days when all three generals were present in the imperial palace had increased.

It ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was partly because of the ominous incident that had occurred in Parfe, and partly because the delegations from the two great families were here.

Moreover, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the two great families were currently at war, and direct friction had already occurred.

One ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍of them, Millesdusk, was here, while the other great family was staying at the mansion of the general seated across from him.

Kunkan smiled and continued.

“You have had many things to think about lately, have you not?”

“...Yes. A great many.”

“It feels as though the daily life we once had—protecting the Empire’s land, protecting the Empire’s skies, and protecting His Majesty—has grown distant.”

“Haa.”

Raymond let out a long breath and drained his teacup in one gulp as though it were a cup of liquor.

The steaming tea vanished into his mouth, and the bottom of the cup was revealed. Like that cup showing its depths, Raymond revealed what lay within him as well.

“I would like to return to it. To that daily life you spoke of.”

“Yes. So would I.”

Kunkan, who nodded, also drained his teacup in one gulp like Raymond. Then, like Raymond, he revealed what lay within him.

“What would you do if there were a way?”

“...A way?”

“Yes. A way to regain our daily lives, when I protected the land and you protected the skies. I know that way.”

“What is it? I want to hear it at once.”

The general who protected the Empire’s territory spoke to the general who protected its skies.

“It is to drive Millesdusk’s delegation out of this place.”

Disappointment filled Raymond’s face. He had expected some ingenious method.

“Removing one delegation does not mean the other delegation will stop troubling us. You know that Wisdom is using the Imperial Family through the Elixir.”

“The conflict has deepened further because of Millesdusk. All they had to do was open the promised path, yet now an investigation team has even been formed.”

“And what is that investigation team doing now? Since you are keeping Wisdom with you, I imagine you know quite well.”

“I am only keeping them with me, nothing more. Just like you, Raymond.”

Though he had drained his tea in one breath, his throat continued to burn. Kunkan’s words dried his mouth even further.

“Do you know? In your mansion right now, the Fifth Son of Millesdusk is keeping someone from Wisdom alive, someone he captured at the library.”

“...I expected as much. The number of people in the communications unit that Wisdom mentioned did not match the number of corpses by one.”

“They truly are impudent. They are kicking away and trampling on your grace, Raymond.”

“Do not say things that will cause misunderstanding if someone hears them. I have never bestowed any grace upon him.”

“Huh. That is precisely what would cause misunderstanding if someone heard it.”

Kunkan raised his rock-like hand.

“You took them into your own home when they had nowhere to go, allowed them to meet His Majesty on the very day they arrived in the Empire, and let the library incident, whose culprit was clear to anyone, pass as an unsolved case.”

The litany he recited while folding down one finger after another was correct in every detail, yet somehow wrong at each point. Raymond knew that.

“Even if it had been you instead of me, you would have acted the same way. Because there was no other path. The Fifth Son had erased everything so thoroughly that even if I tried to find it, I could not.”

“...Raymond. That is a poor joke.”

“It is not a joke. Rather, your claim that I showed tolerance or grace to the Fifth Son sounds like a joke to me.”

Raymond laughed hollowly, but there was a faint fear within it. It was a fear so small that even he himself did not perceive it.

Kunkan, who noticed it, lowered his voice.

“Are you being threatened by something?”

“Is that another joke?”

“No. Forgive me. I misspoke.”

Kunkan cleared his throat and returned the subject to where it had been before.

“What I mean is that the peaceful days of old will return only if we remove Millesdusk from the imperial palace. After that, we obtain the Elixir, and then drive Wisdom out as well.”

“It is the most ideal plan. However, there is one major problem.”

“What is it?”

Kunkan did not know, but Raymond had seen that problem in person. As expected, it was a problem caused by the Youngest Son.

“His Majesty has taken quite a liking to the Fifth Son of Millesdusk.”

“...What? What does that mean?”

“Exactly what I said.”

Raymond let out a small sigh. It was a different kind of sigh from the one before. The previous one had been born of sympathy, but this one was born of helplessness.

“His Majesty even readily accepted the wager the Fifth Son proposed, which was little different from recklessness.”

“What wager? Surely it does not require him to refuse Wisdom’s Elixir.”

“His Majesty cherishes His Highness the Crown Prince too deeply to leave such a risk behind. That was excluded from the start.”

“Then what is it?”

There was nothing in particular to answer, so Raymond shook his head.

“The Fifth Son only said this. He asked His Majesty to believe that not only Wisdom, but Millesdusk as well, had a way to cure His Highness.”

“Hah, truly. What absurd fellows. What was the wager?”

“He must find the answer to His Majesty’s question within one week. Who was the greatest emperor? That is the question. If he loses, he must offer up his life.”

“...That is difficult.”

Kunkan pondered for a moment, then lowered his head.

Raymond was the same. He had been thinking about it ever since he first heard the question, but no suitable answer came to mind.

Even the three generals of the Empire could not easily answer it, yet the bloodline member of the East had not backed down. That was what had moved His Majesty’s heart even more.

However, Kunkan felt reassured.

“Then it seems I came here for nothing. I was concerned about a life that will disappear in a few days anyway. So that is why you have been enduring all this until now.”

“Well, it is not as though that reason is absent, but I am beginning to have another worry.”

“What worry now?”

To Kunkan, whose expression had instead become lighter, Raymond said,

“A worry such as, what if the Fifth Son’s answer pleases His Majesty?”

At those words, Kunkan stared blankly for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter. The sound made the cups and even the nearby window tremble.

By contrast, not even one of Raymond’s eyebrows moved. Only then did Kunkan realize that this, too, was not another joke.

“Raymond, what has gotten into you? His Majesty’s loyal knight, who protects the skies of the Empire, wearing such a grim face over such an absurd possibility? The whole world would laugh.”

“I would also prefer it if my worry were useless.”

CRASH—!

“......”

At the sound of breaking glass, the two generals’ heads turned at once.

The sound had not come from here. It had come from another room, and the owner of that room was, as expected, the very subject of their conversation.

“...Excuse me for a moment.”

“No. I will come with you.”

Raymond quickened his steps, with Kunkan following behind him. The two generals arrived at the source of the sound in an instant.

By then, the situation had already ended.

A red-haired man lay fallen and bleeding. The young man who had come with the delegation lay on the floor, his lips split open.

In contrast, the Youngest Son pointed a bloodstained hand at the fallen subordinate.

“You truly have lost all fear.”

“...I am sorry...”

The red-haired man could not even lift his head and only repeated his apology. Blood dripped from his mouth as he spoke.

“You, a guard, dared try to prey upon my attendant?”

“I have committed a sin worthy of death...”

The man braced his arm against the floor and tried somehow to rise, but he was not allowed to.

THUD—!!

His body, kicked in the stomach, flew all the way into the corner and rolled violently. Only then did an opening appear for someone to intervene.

“...Young Master. What happened here?”

“Ah, General Raymond. I apologize for showing you such an unpleasant sight. An unsavory incident occurred within the delegation, so I was educating him.”

“Did that broken window also happen during this education?”

“It happened because I caught him trying to break the window and flee. Of course, I will compensate you for what was broken, so there is no need to worry. More importantly, beside you is...”

Kunkan, who had been standing behind Raymond, met the Youngest Son in person for the first time.

As he had heard through information reports, the Youngest Son had red eyes, but they were far redder than expected.

“I am Kunkan, one of the three generals.”

“So you were General Raymond’s colleague. I apologize that our first meeting is under these circumstances.”

“Not at all. I only stopped by briefly, so I will take my leave now.”

As Kunkan gave a polite bow, the Youngest Son spoke to him.

“Did you know?”

“...Know what?”

For a moment, his gaze and the Youngest Son’s bloodshot eyes collided in midair. Then the bloodline member passed over the situation with a smile.

“It seems you did not. You may go. I apologize once more.”

“Not at all. Then, excuse me.”

Kunkan left the place. Raymond could not say anything to him as he moved away.

***

General Kunkan returned in his carriage.

Inside, decorated with luxurious red velvet seats, there was someone bleeding the same color as those seats.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“...I apologize.”

The mage who spoke the same words as the man before the Youngest Son a moment ago, Luther, bit his lip.

“I did not imagine there would be a dragon on the other side...”

“...A dragon?”

“Yes.”

Luther answered as he barely staunched his wounds. If his Polymorph had been even a little slower, he would have been killed outright or captured.

It was fortunate that the dragon was unexpectedly unaccustomed to shape changes through Polymorph.

However, what mattered to Kunkan was not the mage’s life, but the fact he had just spoken.

“Are you saying there truly was a dragon there?”

“He was in the form of a man with red hair.”

“...It was a staged incident.”

It had been a situation the Fifth Son created to evade the immediate crisis. However, one thought led to another.

“Then does that mean the Fifth Son has a dragon as a subordinate, one that does not say a word even after being kicked? He is more dangerous than I thought.”

“K-Kicked? The Fifth Son kicked a dragon...?”

Kunkan had no obligation to answer Wisdom’s question right now. The only thing he needed to demand was responsibility.

“Did you not say clearly that you would resolve the current situation, Luther?”

“...Yes. I did.”

“Then what is this? What exactly is this situation I am seeing?”

“......”

Luther had no excuse, so he could no longer even open his mouth.

A staged incident had, in fact, been their side’s weapon.

They had reverse-traced the mana signal connected to the communications unit and discovered Akiell’s location, as he had been the leader of that communications unit.

They could have used this as evidence to point to the Fifth Son as the culprit behind the library massacre, but Wisdom had grown a little greedier.

They had tried to add a more dramatic and inflammatory situation: that the Fifth Son had cruelly tortured the prisoner he had captured, and that the prisoner had been unable to endure it and died.

If they succeeded, they would not only drive Millesdusk out of the imperial palace, but also gain justification for Wisdom to personally capture the Fifth Son.

For that purpose, a collateral bloodline member of Wisdom had secretly boarded General Kunkan’s carriage without General Raymond knowing.

Following the signal, he had found Akiell, and after confirming that no one else was there, he had certainly been able to kill him.

“...I could have succeeded...”

“You said there was a dragon there. That was a plan that could only fail.”

“No...”

Luther ground his teeth.

“It is because Akiell dodged even after hearing the entire situation. It happened because that bastard betrayed the family.”

Whether he had dodged or not, Kunkan let out a sigh.

“Seeing that he went out of his way to stage such an incident, it seems he has no intention of revealing today’s situation openly either.”

“He absolutely cannot. If he does, the evidence that he is the culprit behind the library massacre will also be revealed.”

“Yes, so for now... No, that is...”

Kunkan, who had been rubbing his throbbing head, opened his eyes wide at once.

Reflexively, he sat up straight and could not take his eyes off the emblem visible outside the window.

If the Blue Rose was the Crown Prince’s symbol, then the White Rose was the Princess’s symbol.

And now, the White Rose flag was entering the front gate of General Raymond’s mansion.