Chapter 65: Purge

“My goal is accomplished anyway.”

The remaining cleanup was handed over to Cruel Hart.

Unlike Deon Hart, who knew nothing, he was well aware of how to enter ‘that room.’ By the time Deon Hart arrived, everything would likely be settled.

In other words, Deon Hart would have no way of knowing the Duke was behind the Salvation Church, and Cruel would bear responsibility for everything that followed. From her perspective, she could now step back and enjoy the show.

And from her standpoint, what Deon Hart had done this time was…

“Half-baked.”

Weak. It made her doubt if he was truly the Deon Hart she knew.

If it had been her, she would have completely sealed off the building, preventing even a rat from escaping, and then killed everyone inside.

Wouldn’t the enemies be able to slip away by blending in with the civilians?

Someone who had experienced war firsthand couldn’t possibly be unaware of that.

“…Does he not mind missing one or two? Since they’re just small fry anyway?”

Well, understanding his priorities made it easy to see why.

Securing the evidence would be the most important thing. With it, he could punish the mastermind and completely eradicate the Salvation Church. Targeting the head is also a survival instinct.

However.

Sareen slightly curled the corner of her lips. A smile that was anything but innocent spread across her face.

“In the end, I’ll be the one who wins.”

Deon Hart won’t uncover the mastermind.

***

Mountains of documents were piled up. A strange smell of oil hung in the air.

In the middle of it all, Cruel stood frozen, one hand tucked into his chest.

Silence descended.

I quietly lowered my gaze, confirming the upper half of the guy’s body, stiff in an awkward posture.

Perhaps he was surprised, because the hand he had tucked away had slipped out slightly, revealing a few documents clutched at its end.

“…”

“…”

He blinked a few times in that same position, and then, as if noticing my gaze, he tucked the documents deeper into his chest.

Then, casually glancing at me, he grabbed the torch he was holding—

—and hurled it into the pile of documents.

‘…?!’

Wait, hold on. What is he doing…!

With a surreal swiftness, no, almost instantly, all the documents were engulfed in flames.

So that’s what the oil smell was!

Damn it, at this rate, we won’t be able to salvage anything. How did I make it all the way here, only to lose the evidence right before my eyes? I can’t just stand by and watch.

I desperately reached out towards the furiously burning documents. Grabbing them for a moment wouldn’t cause severe burns. I could snatch them, throw them on the floor, and then stomp them out.

But my goal was thwarted.

Thud.

“Let go of me!”

“…”

“You crazy bastard! Why are you burning this?!”

Crazy bastard. Insane bastard.

I had used the knight order members to chase away the commoners, and the leadership was nowhere to be seen. They had probably already left this place. They wouldn’t be back for a while.

Which meant all that was left to do was contact the Imperial Palace and have them take these documents… So why the hell!!

I thrashed with all my might to shake off his grip, but this weak body of mine had no effect on Cruel’s restraint. Rather, as my hand brushed against the burning documents while I struggled, he simply hoisted me up and slung me over his shoulder.

“Shit!”

Damn it, I was annoyed, damn it, I was angry.

Cruel blocking me, and my weak body unable to do anything about him. For a moment, I seethed with a complex rage directed at both, but then a certain thought flashed through my mind, and I abruptly stopped all movement like a doll with its strings cut.

Cruel seemed to find my sudden stillness strange, glancing back.

“…Duke.”

Halt.

Just like I had a moment ago, he froze in his tracks.

He started walking again as if he hadn’t heard anything, but it was too late. I was already sure.

Yeah, it’s the Duke.

The Salvation Church, which was suspected of having a massive backer. The purple cloth used only in this place. Cruel burning the documents.

Who did Cruel serve?

Whose symbol was purple?

Who held the strongest power aside from the Imperial family?

‘—Starbe Illuster.’

The figure Cruel served, with purple hair and eyes, the leader of the noble faction.

“Y-you…”

“…”

“You son of a bitch!!”

Rage exploded.

***

Honestly, I don’t remember much after that.

According to Lien, smoke billowed from the training grounds, and then a door in the corner opened, and Cruel and I emerged amidst the thick smoke.

Cruel was carrying me, and when I tried to stab him in the side with a dagger, he immediately tossed me to Lien and disappeared.

“I’ve never seen you so angry before.”

“R-really?”

“Yes, you even coughed up blood while you were angry. I was so surprised at the time…”

“I… I see…”

I was definitely furious. So much so that my reason flew out the window.

No, thinking about it again, I’m still angry. He was playing me. Damn it, and there’s no one to talk to about it.

Even if I told the Emperor, it wouldn’t matter without proof. It’d be lucky if he didn’t see it as just the petty complaint of a loser.

‘Damn it, Cruel…’

He took the documents I couldn’t get, so he’s the winner of this contest. I wonder what he’ll demand. Whatever it is, I just hope it has nothing to do with me.

“Ah, what about the sorcerer?”

“She’s gone back.”

“…Pardon?”

“She said she had no more business here, so she left.”

Well, there was no reason to keep her, so letting her go was the right call…

“Um…”

“Ah, Master was moved to that space because he circled the room, I’m told.”

“No, that’s not it… Wait, what did you say?”

“Apparently, drawing a circle three times to the left and twice to the right in any way will trigger the teleportation. You were probably planning to draw it with your fingers, but who knew Count would be teleported while pacing the room.”

“…”

“You have incredible luck.”

I was speechless. So that’s why I was teleported?

No, that’s not the important thing right now…

“Don’t tell me you just let the sorcerer go? Empty-handed?”

Sorcerers are rare, so it’s best to leave a good impression if possible. But if we used her and sent her away without any compensation?

“The butler provided a reward and a carriage.”

“Ah, well, that’s good.”

As expected of Rememver. Thanks to him, we won’t be remembered as shameless.

…Though, it’s a little disappointing. I was going to ask her about the curse.

“Sir Lien, there’s something you’ve misunderstood. The reason the Count coughed up blood was due to the strong pressure on his abdomen while he was being carried on a shoulder.”

“… ?”

I tilted my head, feeling bewildered. Streaks of silver now prominent in his blue hair came into view.

Rememver naturally walked past me and placed a tray he was holding on the table. I stared at it with a dumbfounded expression, while his voice, as if completely excluding me, reached my ears.

“Ah… so it wasn’t because of anger. It seems I was mistaken.”

“It’s not to say anger had no influence, but that was the biggest reason. There’s no need to be ashamed for misunderstanding. It’s just that the Count is fragile.”

“Fragile…”

Why are you muttering that too?

Scratch that, he’s not competent.

I couldn’t help but say something.

“No, Sir Lien. Why are you dwelling on that? And Rememver, what’s with you coming in here and saying…”

“Ah, my apologies.”

I knocked, but there was no answer.

Rememver bowed politely, completely omitting the ‘fragile’ comment I wanted to point out the most.

His actions were impeccable and courteous, leaving me with no room to complain. I inwardly clicked my tongue and shifted my gaze to the tray on the table. On it were some herbal medicine and a note.

Ugh, that medicine… Is there still some left?

“…What’s that note?”

An unremarkable note, completely different from the invitations I had seen occasionally.

Rememver’s eyes narrowed.

He noticed! That I was trying to change the subject because I didn’t want to take the medicine! Is that what they call experience?

Feeling inexplicably guilty, I just watched him shake his head with a helpless smile. An answer came back with a faint smile.

“It’s a note from the sorcerer. She asked me to deliver it to you before she left.”

“From the sorcerer?”

I muttered in confusion, yet reached for the note. Before unfolding it, I hesitated for a moment, wondering if she had set up some kind of trap, but the hesitation was brief.

At least, in my memory, I hadn’t been particularly rude to her.

The note’s contents were shorter than I expected.

[Curses are not something to be taken lightly. To kill someone, the caster must offer something of great value as a sacrifice. Would you be willing to sacrifice your own life to kill someone, noble sir?]

Crumple. Force entered my hand. Without any change in expression, I calmly crumpled the note and dropped it into the herbal medicine next to it with a plop. The pure white note absorbed the black liquid and darkened.

I quietly watched the scene, then slowly replayed the note’s last sentence.

‘Am I willing to sacrifice my life to kill someone?’

Bullshit. My answer is obviously ‘no’.

Did she predict even this answer, which is why she didn’t write down how to cast a curse? Before that, how did she know I was going to ask this question?

‘Sorcerer, Ran.’

While engraving that name in a corner of my mind, Rememver cautiously called out to me. I looked up, and the black herbal medicine filled my vision.

Wait, I definitely soaked the note in it to make it undrinkable?!

“I had a servant bring a new one. It’s no use trying to avoid it like this, so please stop troubling an old man and drink it.”

“…”

This stuff really tastes awful.

With trembling hands, I accepted the herbal medicine. Under the unspoken pressure in Rememver’s gaze, I finally brought it to my lips. I opened my mouth, about to ingest the vile liquid, when,

– Knock, knock.

“Come in!”

I quickly placed the medicine bowl back on the table. Perhaps I was too eager, because Rememver narrowed his eyes at me.

Regardless, I happily greeted the servant who entered.

“What is it?”

“Someone from the Imperial Palace has arrived.”

“Ah.”

…Ah?

The unexpected scale of this news momentarily stunned my thoughts.

My reaction to the servant’s words—that someone had come directly, not just sending an invitation—was simple.

So, it’s finally here.

***

Using my fainting as an excuse, I had refused their summons several times, so in a way, this was inevitable.

However, I didn’t expect them to send people and a carriage to essentially leave me with no choice.

Moreover…

“…”

“…”

I had to see Cruel too? Couldn’t they meet with us separately?

‘Ugh, this is awkward.’

I pressed my lips shut and fixed my gaze straight ahead. I wasn’t happy about this situation, and the lingering bitter taste in my mouth didn’t help my expression.

Damn Butler. He insisted on making me drink that medicine before letting me go.

Rememver grabbed me as I stood up to hurry to the Imperial Palace, and then the bowl of medicine was shoved in front of my face. The terrible taste resurfaced in my memory, and my face instantly contorted.

But it was only for a moment. Feeling a gaze from the side, I quickly corrected my expression and focused on the door.

‘Let’s see, what’s engraved on this fancy door…’

Gemstones were embedded, mana stones were embedded, and a gaze was fixed on me.

…My cheek feels hot. What’s so interesting about me that he keeps staring?

The gaze fixed on my face slowly descended, lingered around my shoulder for a moment, and then went further down, stopping at a certain spot.

Realizing where his gaze was directed, I whipped my head around and glared at him.

Yeah, I have a bandage on my hand. I went crazy trying to grab those documents you burned, and got a nasty burn. Damn it, I’m still pissed. You bastard.

“What are you looking at?”

“…”

He stared at me silently, then slowly opened his mouth as if to say something.

But before the first word could escape his lips,

“His Majesty will see you now.”

As the audience chamber door slowly opened, both he and I turned our heads forward as if nothing had happened.