Chapter 198: He who digs a pit for others falls into it himself (2)

Lucion found himself taken aback by Ketlan’s unexpected words.

“Where is the answer?” Ketlan’s inquiry came swiftly, though lacking any ill intent, prompting Lucion to respond with a hint of hesitation.

“Ah, I understand.”

“Hamel. It may seem unconventional to discuss this at our first meeting, but if I were in your shoes, I would have found your statement quite disheartening,” Ketlan expressed earnestly.

Russell nodded vehemently.

[That’s right. It’s different because he’s an emperor. I feel like I can even see a halo behind him now.]

—Where’s the halo? Ratta can’t see it.

Ratta tilted her head in confusion.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

[Look at that. He got lost in this situation.]

[That Lord Lucion is.]

Bethel chuckled at Russell’s sarcastic words.

[‘He’s really having a great time.’]

Even though Lucion had grown accustomed to their banter, he felt unfairly wronged by their laughter.

He hadn’t done anything today.

“Alright, I get it. That’s just your nature.”

Ketlan let out a short breath in response to Lucion’s subsequent question.

“You see, I have a friend.”

Lucion cleared his throat at the sudden mention.

‘Why is my father being brought up here?’

The only person Ketlan referred to as a friend was Novio.

“He has a youngest son,” Ketlan continued.

‘That would be me,’ Lucion realized, sensing a tension rising within him following the mention of his name after Heint’s mention.

“He boasts about his youngest son so much that it makes my ears bleed. Yet, witnessing his antics fills me with joy.” 

Ketlan chuckled lightly.

“I’m not sure what Your Majesty is implying.”

“I wanted to say that his youngest son resembles you.”

“Pardon?”

“There’s this talk going around that on one hand, he’s so quick-witted yet can’t handle his own affairs well. It stuck with me, and I thought I’d bring it up. I see a resemblance between you two.”

‘I’m not really that dull, though?’

[You think you’re not dull at all right now, right, Lucion?]

At Russell’s voice, which seemed to read his thoughts, Lucion flinched momentarily.

Russell chuckled.

Ketlan laughed lightly as he looked at Lucion, almost as if looking at his own son.

“My apologies. In any case, to gain your trust, let’s prepare the contract right now. Lord Carson and Sir Heint will serve as witnesses. Does that suit you?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Your generosity…”

“No. You don’t need to say any more. It is I who should be grateful. The crown that rests above my head isn’t just for show; it exists to protect those who, like you, work for the Empire.”

Lucion looked at Ketlan.

During the ceremony where he had been anointed a saint, Ketlan had seemed like nothing more than a bothersome elder. Today, however, Lucion’s perspective shifted.

A newfound respect welled up within him. 

Could it be that Ketlan’s jests and light-hearted remarks were all carefully chosen with him in mind?

Lucion was almost overwhelmed with the impulse to take off his mask and reveal himself.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I am truly grateful for everything… Thank you.”

“You’re rather clumsy, aren’t you? Your clumsiness only makes me want to look after you even more,” Ketlan chuckled as he stood up.

At his command, paper was promptly brought to them. Ketlan laid down the gold-embossed paper with a wide grin.

“Let’s draft this together,” he suggested.

* * *

“The contract will wear out at this rate. It will wear out,” Heint said as they settled into the carriage, noticing Lucion’s intense scrutiny of the document.

“Why so serious? You can’t lay a finger on me now, thanks to the Emperor’s command, right?” Lucion teased.

Lucion’s eyes shifted to Carson, who responded with a disapproving glare before avoiding eye contact entirely.

“Why the long face? We are witnesses, remember?” Heint questioned with a raised eyebrow.

When Lucion asked, “So, can you sincerely congratulate me?” 

Heint hesitated.

Even though the Emperor had given an order to protect Hamel, an unsettling feeling lingered that he couldn’t shake off.

But if you asked if he didn’t trust Hamel, that wasn’t entirely the case either.

Perhaps it was simply because he didn’t know Hamel’s true identity.

“By the way, why didn’t you mention that you joined the organization?”

“I could end up dead too. I can’t let other people die because of me.”

“Then you can hand over the communication device now?”

“I’ll send it later.”

Lucion planned to connect with Kran. Though he might find it burdensome in the middle, it was much safer to cross one bridge at a time.

“Looks like you have nothing to say now, Carson?”

Lucion waved the contract in front of Carson deliberately.

Carson’s brow furrowed.

He looked like he was going to rip the contract to shreds, but he held back his anger.

“The Emperor wished to protect you. Why not reveal your identity now?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Fear I might intervene? I am Cronia. I follow the Emperor’s orders without personal bias.” 

“It’s for those around me. Don’t pry into this mask. Understand?” 

With that, Lucion opened the carriage door and jumped out.

He felt like the atmosphere was turning against him, and he wanted to escape.

As he heard Ratta’s giggling voice behind a tree, he used shadow movement.

“He’s jumping out at this speed?”

Heint’s eyes widened in surprise.

Wasn’t the carriage moving at a considerable speed?

“Shut the door,” Carson finally relaxed into his seat, exhaling softly. “Despite the Emperor’s approval and the order to safeguard Hamel, there’s still an unsettling feeling lingering.”

“I feel it too.” 

“It’s because we’re in the dark about the person behind the mask.” 

“Maybe,” Heint murmured, meeting Carson’s intense gaze.

“Do you have any guesses?”

After all, he was the one who had seen Hamel the longest among them.

‘Your brother… If I mention even a hint of doubt, he’ll grab me by the collar, won’t he?’

Heint swallowed hard.

Hamel knew a lot of things.

It was hard not to think of him as an insider.

Yet, hadn’t they already rooted out a traitor once? 

It couldn’t have been the Imperial Knights. 

Perhaps among the Knights of Cronia, but Lucion, being closest and privy to everything, raised suspicions.

‘Geez, I vowed not to doubt him, but here I am questioning Lucion again?’

Heint felt a jolt of shock, almost wanting to slap himself for his fleeting doubts.

“Why the silence?” Carson prodded, his furrowed brow pressuring Heint for answers.

“Then who do you suspect?” Heint shot back.

“Hmm…”

Carson offered a vague answer, staring out the window.

He let out a short breath, looking as if he knew something yet was holding back.

* * *

“Who do they say the culprit is?”

Lucion intentionally dropped the fork he was holding.

Clatter.

—Hop!

Ratta, who had been eating next to him, jumped in surprise and immediately clung to his leg.

—R-Ratta wasn’t surprised!

Russell giggled, poking Ratta playfully.

—Ratta wasn’t surprised! I just, um, just got worried because I like Lucion!

Ratta pouted.

Lucion woke up in the morning and briefed Kran on the current situation.

Kran had been shocked to hear that he met the Emperor, but soon praised him, calling him impressive, so Lucion quickly ended the conversation.

“They’re saying it’s Twilo Spikado.”

And now, at the dining table, Carson had mentioned Twilo.

“They said the investigation started early this morning. Ah, don’t worry; they’ll catch Twilo’s lackeys soon enough.”

“How are things moving so swiftly?”

“Someone helped.”

“Who?”

At Lucion’s question, Carson briefly met his gaze.

“An asshole.”

‘Ha. I keep hearing that phrase from everywhere.’

Lucion gulped down his water to hide his snort.

“Lucion.”

“Yes, brother.”

“I don’t know if Hume informed you, but we’ve decided to depart after lunch today.”

“I’m aware.”

“Will you be alright? If you’re still feeling uncomfortable, we can postpone, so don’t feel pressured.”

“I want to return home as soon as possible.”

To reach the Keortia Kingdom, they needed to make their way back to Cronia.

Carson smiled at that response.

“Very well, we’ll stick to the schedule.”

“By the way, where did Brother Heint go?”

After asking Carson, Lucion took a large piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth.

The flavor melted in his mouth, making his eyes sparkle with delight.

‘It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed a peaceful meal like this.’

Lucion happily sliced into the next piece of meat.

“He might have to go to the palace for a report and could return a bit later.”

“He’s busy until the day of departure.”

“…Hah.”

Carson chuckled as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.

“It’s a punishment for not being able to protect you properly, so don’t think too much about it.”

“Don’t be too hard on Brother Heint. Things took a strange turn, but he did his best.”

“Lucion, what you’re saying isn’t entirely wrong. But if Heint was responsible for you, he should have brought you back to Cronia safely, no matter what happened. Yet here you are…”

Carson paused mid-sentence, letting out a deep sigh.

Lucion looked fine on the outside, but tattered on the inside.

No, he didn’t even look good on the outside.

“I’m fine.”

“I’m not. Just looking at Heint makes me want to break something. Oh, eat more.”

When Lucion’s fork paused, Carson smiled and urged him on.

[Did you see that, Bethel? He seriously looked like he was going to kill Heint. That was real.]

Russell’s eyes widened as he looked at Bethel.

[Yeah, that was for real.]

―Ra, Ratta felt it too.

Ratta trembled slightly, burying her face back into her bowl.

Knock, knock!

At the urgent sound of a knock, Carson stood up with irritation.

“Keep eating.”

As Carson opened the door, the butler managing the mansion was panting heavily.

“What’s the matter?”

“H-His Highness has arrived.”

“Which one?”

“It is His Highness the Fourth Prince.”

“…Cough, cough!”

Lucion choked on his soup at the butler’s words.

“Drink some water.”

Carson hurried over and handed Lucion a glass of water.

‘This is crazy.’

Lucion gulped down the water in frustration that suddenly surged inside him.

‘So Twilo’s neck is about to be on the chopping block, and now the Fourth Prince shows up?’

The one who was supposed to be the most threatening had come looking for him voluntarily.

[Is he seriously here to kill you, Lucion?]

Russell’s gaze narrowed.

[Here? Isn’t that too reckless?]

Bethel voiced her concerns instead.

This place was one of the mansions owned by Cronia, and above all, Carson was present too.

[No. In such clear-cut situations, status plays a crucial role. If an incident occurs and one of the suspects is a prince, what if the prince proclaims innocence? Who here can challenge a prince’s status?]

Russell squinted and huffed.

“Brother.”

Once Lucion calmed down, he finally spoke.

“It doesn’t seem like he has good intentions. Otherwise, he wouldn’t show up unannounced on the day of our departure, would he?”

“Stay here for now.”

Carson stepped back outside.

All princes and princesses, including the Fourth Prince, had no ties to Cronia. Cronia kept its distance deliberately to avoid any connections while participating in the competition for the next emperor’s position, maintaining a balance.

‘But what is this all about?’

Carson frowned.

Princes and princesses should be aware of this unspoken rule.

“I’ve told you to guide me. How many times must I repeat myself!”

The haughty voice indicated that the Fourth Prince had boldly entered the mansion without permission.

Carson was irked.

“I apologize. I haven’t heard any news.”

Hume’s voice followed. He likely encountered the prince while delivering food for Lucion.

This was problematic.

Despite having a public image of being nice, the Fourth Prince’s personality was quite arrogant.

As Carson hastened his steps and turned a corner, the sound of a slap echoed through the corridor.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read