Chapter 234. Damn Imperial Palace (1)
The day after Caron and his group arrived in the capital, his maternal grandfather Gyle's residence—until then a place of peace and quiet—was thrown into a state of chaos from early morning.
"Incredible. Truly incredible. If you're going to stir up trouble, this is exactly how bold you ought to be!" Gyle burst out laughing as he read the oversized headline in the morning paper.
The front page read...
"The Young Hero of the Ducal Family of Leston! Has He Exposed a Royal Conspiracy?"
"Is the Royal Family Repeating the Tragedy of the Malevolent Emperor?"
All of this had happened within just one day of Caron's arrival in the capital.
"Well, well. You've grown a lot bolder since I last saw you, Caron," Gyle said with a grin.
"That's all thanks to you, Grandfather," Caron replied smoothly.
"Thanks to my grandson, this old man's been forced into a vacation," Gyle said.
"Oh? But you're the Commissioner of the Imperial Tax Office. Is there even anyone above you?" Caron asked.
"Haha! The royal family has ordered me to remain under house watch," Gyle answered.
"I'm sorry, Grandfather," Caron said.
"No, no, don't be. Truthfully, I've been thinking about retirement anyway. Maybe I should use this chance to buy a house near Azureocean Castle," Gyle said.
He sipped his coffee in a relaxed manner and chuckled as he turned to Caron, then asked, "So, what's the next step in your plan?"
This was the grandson who had turned the entire capital on its head the moment he stepped foot in it. First, he had shattered the press, and then used them to detonate a bombshell no one could ignore.
"You dropped an unverified claim as if it was fact. The backlash is going to be serious. Are you ready for it?" Gyle asked, narrowing his eyes.
"It's not like I made it all up. I just don't have physical evidence. But circumstantially? I'm sure of it," Caron answered.
"My clever grandson knows better than anyone that circumstantial evidence means nothing without proof," Gyle said.
If it were anyone but Caron, not a single citizen would've believed a word of it. But Caron's presence in the capital was far stronger than even he realized. The way the city had stirred over a claim with no concrete evidence spoke volumes.
"For now, I'm planning to stay put here and wait," Caron said as he shoved an entire glass of sherbet into his mouth with a satisfied smile.
"Anyway, the place is probably crawling with soldiers already, right?" he asked.
"Of course it is. You insulted the royal family. That's treason, or close to it," Gyle answered.
"That's exactly what I'm aiming for," Caron replied calmly.
He had defamed the royal family with unconfirmed information. It was a crime so serious that a death sentence wouldn't have been surprising. And yet, Caron's expression remained remarkably composed.
"Let's wait a little. Our guests should be arriving soon," Caron said as he leaned back in his chair, completely at ease. Everything was unfolding just as he'd planned.
"Revelio, you still have the thing I gave you yesterday, right?" he asked.
Revelio nodded and replied, "Yes, I do."
"Your part is critical. To be honest, a lot depends on you," Caron said.
"I'm already in this boat. If I don't want to die, I've got no choice. I'm not planning to end up on a scaffold," Revelio answered.
"Hugo, you stick with Leon and Leo and follow the plan. The top priority is to minimize civilian casualties. Coordinate with the Magic Tower, find the Revanchists' new hideout, and burn it all to the ground," Caron instructed.
"Understood," Hugo replied.
After giving out swift commands, Caron reclined again in his chair. He said, "They should be here any minute now..."
Just then...
Knock knock knock.
Soon after, Gyle's butler appeared with a slightly stiff expression. He announced, "The Imperial Guards are here."
So, the time had come.
Gyle let out a dry chuckle and nodded, then said, "I see. And what's the reason for their visit?"
"...They say they're here to take the criminal who insulted the royal family into custody," the butler answered.
"So, they're applying charges without a trial. Makes sense, I suppose. Given the gravity of insulting the royal family, a trial probably seemed unnecessary," Gyle said.
He turned to look at his one and only grandson.
The charges were tantamount to treason. Not even the prestige of the Ducal Family of Leston could fully shield Caron in a situation like this. After all, the evidence that he had defamed the royal family was as clear as a bright day.
"Caron... Are you truly confident in this?" Gyle asked, unable to hide the concern of a grandfather watching his grandson.
If Caron allowed himself to be taken by the Imperial Guards, it could very well mean a one-way trip to the execution block. It was a dangerous, precarious situation.
And yet, Caron's face showed not a hint of fear. He said calmly, "Nothing's going to happen."
"...Very well. Let the Imperial Guards in," Gylesaid at last, his voice calm but edged with inevitability.
"Yes, sir." The butler bowed and quickly left the room.
Time passed—just enough to let anticipation settle thick in the air—before the Imperial Guards entered the reception hall.
Gyle looked straight at the man leading them, exhaling softly through his nose. He murmured, "I didn't expect the Commander himself to come."
It was Lahart Legion, Commander of the Imperial Guards—an 8-Star knight, a man few dared to challenge.
Lahart bowed with impeccable form, then said, "It has been a while, Commissioner Gyle. I should have visited sooner. I apologize for my absence."
"The capital is a large place," Gyle replied, waving a hand. "And the Commander is always busy. An old man like me must learn to understand such things."
"I had thought to bring a proper gift, but the circumstance of my visit makes that impossible. I beg your forgiveness," Lahart said.
Lahart Legion belonged to the faction of Marquis Diaz, Caron's enemy. It was likely he was involved in the current conspiracy. Gyle knew this, which made it impossible to welcome the man warmly, regardless of his manners.
With a small sigh, Gyle gestured lightly, then said, "Do what you came to do."
Lahart gave another courteous nod, then turned slowly to face Caron. He said formally, "Caron Leston."
"I'm listening," Caron replied.
"Do you acknowledge that you defamed the royal family by spreading vile, unconfirmed rumors that tarnish their honor?" Lahart asked. His tone was calm, but the accusation was sharp.
Caron shook his head as if he had been waiting for the question. He answered, "I suffer from delusions, you see. Sometimes I just can't help myself. Apologies for the slip."
"...So the Ducal Family of Leston is not involved in this matter?" Lahart pressed.
"A madman rambling nonsense isn't exactly unusual, is it? If you doubt me, ask my family. Leo! I'm a madman, right?" Caron asked.
"Obviously," Leo replied from the side without hesitation.
"You see?" Caron said, spreading his hands with mock innocence.
It was an audacious act, blatantly brazen. But Lahart merely nodded, as if this too had been expected.
"I thought you'd say that," Lahart continued. "Then you'll also understand why we must arrest you. Caron Leston, for the crimes of defaming the royal family and inciting the public with falsehoods, you are under arrest. You will be taken to the Imperial Prison, then judged in the palace court."
With a subtle motion of his right hand, his subordinates stepped forward. They quickly fastened special restraints around Caron's wrists.
Whoosh.
The cuffs were specially crafted to suppress the wearer's ability to manipulate mana.
"No resistance, I see," Lahart noted.
"Well, how could I miss the chance to tour the Imperial Prison?" Caron replied with a grin.
"Escort the criminal to the prison," Lahart ordered.
Two guards moved to both sides of Caron and took hold of his arms.
"Strangers grabbing me like this... It's a bit embarrassing," Caron quipped, flashing a smile toward his cousins. Then, turning to Gyle, he added, "I'll be back soon, Grandfather."
Gyle sighed softly and nodded with quiet firmness. He said, "Just come back safely."
"Of course. Sir Lahart, shall we?" Caron replied.
The Imperial Guards began leading Caron out of Gyle's residence.
However, the moment Caron stepped outside with a smile on his face, a roar erupted from the crowd gathered out front.
"Reveal the truth, royal family!"
"Stop tarnishing the honor of the Ducal Family of Leston!"
They were citizens—supporters of Caron and the Ducal Family of Leston—who had gathered in protest.
Caron met the eyes of those shouting for him and slowly nodded. Then he raised his cuffed hands high and shouted in return, "Everyone! The truth always wins in the end!"
A thunderous cheer erupted. "Waaaahhhhhhh!"
"I promise you, I will win!" Caron shouted again.
Then another roar followed, louder than the first. In mere seconds, the front of Gyle's residence had become a campaign rally.
Lahart shook his head with a weary sigh, then leaned in close to Caron and whispered, "Is there really no way to go quietly?"
"You should've covered my mouth too if you wanted that," Caron whispered back with a smirk. "Didn't Sir Luke warn you?"
"Hah..." Lahart sighed once again.
Thanks to the shouts and eyewitnesses in the crowd, the news that Caron had been taken away by the Imperial Guards quickly spread throughout the capital.
***
The Imperial Guards transported Caron straight to the Imperial Palace. In the process, everything he had on him was confiscated—his pouch of dimensional space, Guillotine, and Kavana.
Drip. Drip.
Water echoed faintly through the prison. This was no ordinary jail. It was a facility located beneath the Imperial Guards' headquarters, meant solely for knights.
The dark, damp cell held only two people: Caron and Lahart.
Clang.
The heavy iron door shut, and Lahart took a seat just outside the bars, resting on a nearby chair. He said, "I didn't expect you to be reckless enough to walk right into the enemy's den, Caron Leston."
Whoosh.
The aura of an 8-Star knight radiated off him as he glared at Caron.
As a Commander of the Imperial Guards, Lahart Legion was one of the empire's most formidable knights, and he had the strength to prove it. But Caron met his gaze with unshaken composure.
Even when Caron was dragged all the way to the palace, he remained at ease.
And that was for good reason.
"Honestly, I never thought you'd accept my proposal," Caron said with a calm smile.
Because the man sitting across from him, Lahart, had become part of Caron's plan.
Lahart was also derisively called the dog of Marquis Diaz. When he'd first sent a message through Sir Luke, Caron and the other adults of the Ducal Family of Leston couldn't believe it.
"I'll open the way to the Imperial Palace."
Caron had suspected it was a trap laid by Marquis Diaz. Yet here he was, inside the palace.
Caron gripped the iron bars and looked directly at Lahart, then asked, "Why?"
"What do you mean, why?" Lahart replied.
"Why would you betray the master you served? Weren't you the loyal dog of Marquis Diaz?" Caron asked.
Caron's words were nothing short of insulting, but Lahart only gave a bitter smile. He said, "I won't deny that I've followed Marquis Diaz until now."
A man who was obsessed about ambition—that was how the Ducal Family of Leston had always described Lahart. He was a person who was obsessed with honor and desperate to climb ever higher. One could even call him a petty man.
So Caron wondered why had someone like him chosen to turn traitor. However, he stayed quiet and listened.
"You of all people would know," Lahart began. "The current Imperial Guards... have no tradition. We're a shell of what we were. Disbanded once, fifty years ago."
Caron knew that well. He had seen it with his own eyes—he had lived it. It was, in some ways, his original sin.
"I'm an ambitious man," Lahart admitted. "I want to be remembered as the commander who restored the glory of the Imperial Guards. And I want to pass that honor down to my children."
It was a frank confession of his desires.
"As Commander of the Imperial Guards, it's my duty to lead it back to glory," Lahart continued.
His words were simple, clear, and sincere. Caron could feel it without a doubt.
"We can't afford to repeat the mistakes our predecessors made," Lahart added.
Even the Malevolent Emperor had once relied on the Imperial Guards. So now, Lahart was invoking the name of Cain Latorre, the man who had led the Imperial Guards to ruin.
Caron smiled faintly. He had always thought the newer generation was a step behind. But hearing this man speak now... Perhaps that wasn't entirely true.
They were weaker in strength, yes—but in this one aspect, they were far better.
"You're better than your predecessors," Caron said.
Lahart let out a soft, bitter chuckle, then replied, "I doubt that."
"Making bold choices is the privilege of the brave," Caron said. "In that sense, Sir Lahart, you're better than Sir Cain."
"I can't tell if I should be angry at your insult... or flattered by the compliment," Lahart muttered.
Then, without warning, he drew his sword and slashed the iron bars.
Klang!
Sparks flew as the bars split open cleanly.
"Your belongings are in the vice-commander's office," Lahart said. "Sir Luke and Amy are waiting there as well. You should move with them."
Caron stepped through the broken cell with a nod, then asked, "What about you, Commander?"
"I'm heading back to Diaz," Lahart answered.
"Why not come with us?" Caron asked.
"We need to draw Marquis Diaz's attention elsewhere. That'll give you the freedom to move through the palace. I've already given Sir Luke a map—search the restricted areas, the ones even the Imperial Guards can't access. That's where you'll find the evidence," Lahart explained.
Shing.
Lahart slid his sword back into its sheath and let out a quiet breath. He said, "Good luck. I hope you achieve your goal."
With that, he turned and strode out of the prison, leaving only silence behind.
Caron stretched his arms and loosened his shoulders.
The Mad Dog had finally been unleashed in the palace.