Chapter 34
"Is that the end of it?" Leo muttered to himself as he watched the knights of the Oceanwolf Knight Order going through the grand mansion, gathering evidence.
Caron overheard Leo's comment and chuckled softly, then said, "We're just getting started."
"There's something more?" Leo asked.
Caron glanced out the window. Below, Oyun, who had just been captured, was being dragged out of the mansion; his hands were bound tightly with rope.
"That guy is just a pawn. We need to find out who's pulling the strings. This mission wasn't one that would ever be wrapped up in a day," Caron explained.
"Then what will happen to us? What if Grandfather isn't happy with how things turn out?" Leo asked with a hint of concern in his voice.
"Well, we've gathered some pretty solid leads, so I'd say the mission was a success. At least for now," Caron reassured him.
They would take Oyun to Azureocean Castle for interrogation, where they were likely to extract valuable information. The dungeons of Azureocean Castle were notorious for being the kind of place where people spilled everything they knew.
"The evidence we got from Caligo proved to be very useful," Caron mused as he thought back to the information and evidence Foina had provided earlier.
The Caligo faction had already detained Oyun's family as they attempted to flee Thebe. If the family hadn't cooperated so easily, the operation likely wouldn't have gone as smoothly as it did. There was no denying that Caligo was an organization that held Caron's interest on many levels.
"Who would've thought we'd find the prince in a place like that? He's nothing like the rumors," Leo remarked as he clicked his tongue in mild disbelief.
"What's so different about him?" Caron asked.
"Well, everyone says the Sixth Prince is a troublemaker and a complete lunatic. I mean, at first he seemed just like the rumors said. But the more I think about it, that doesn't seem to be his true self," Leo explained.
Caron looked at Leo and gave him an approving thumbs-up. He teased, "Wow, Leo, did you get better at reading people because you've been spending time outside?"
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Leo asked.
"It's always good to be cautious, Leo. But that prince... He still seems like a lunatic to me," Caron said.
For now, they knew they had to keep an eye on the Sixth Prince. His true intentions and plans were still shrouded in mystery, but one thing was certain: Someone like him was bound to cause a major incident sooner or later. They'd likely cross paths with him again when they go to the capital. After all, the imperial family had invited both Caron and Leo to the banquet, and the Sixth Prince had said he would be attending as well.
Caron nodded lightly, then reached into his pocket, pulling out a small crystal orb. It was a direct communication device given to him by Chairwoman Foina.
Whoosh.
As the orb was gently infused with mana, it began to glow, and Foina's voice echoed from within.
"It sounds like things went well, considering you've contacted me. Congratulations."
"What do you mean? We're just getting started," Caron replied.
"Haha. So, are you going to fulfill my request now?" Foina asked.
Her request was simple. It was to get close to the Sixth Prince. But Caron knew it wasn't just about becoming friends. Caligo was clearly a faction that supported the prince, which meant that by extension, the prince was signaling his interest in aligning with the Ducal Family of Leston.
Thus, before moving forward, Caron needed to clear something up. He asked, "Why didn't you bring this evidence to us earlier, given that you had it all along?"
Caligo had provided them with two key pieces of evidence: One being the corpses of the slaves used to plant the explosives, and the other being the overseer who had managed them. However, it wasn't clear how the evidence had ended up in Caligo's hands.
The response, however, was surprisingly simple.
"That's an easy question. We had no idea they were targeting you and your group," Foina answered.
"I'm sure you had plenty of time to remove the explosives," Caron pointed out.
"That's funny. What would we have gained if we removed the explosives? Do you really think we're the kind of organization that acts out of a sense of justice? If you had wanted our cooperation, you should have asked for it beforehand. If someone had mentioned that the Leston family was taking the train and asked if there were any issues with the tracks, we would have told them," Foina said, expressing her dissatisfaction.
Then, in a teasing tone, she added, "How can we show up to a wedding if we didn't even receive an invitation?"
"So, you're saying that you would have helped if you'd known?" Caron asked.
"If we had known, we probably would've made a deal," Foina replied.
Caron couldn't argue with that. The fact that he and his group were taking the train to the capital had been a closely guarded secret within the Leston household. There was no way Caligo, based in Thebe, could have known.
"For simple folks like us, it's only natural to take advantage of chaos for our benefit," Foina continued.
"If you're calling a seventh circle mage simple, what does that make everyone else? Insects?" Caron retorted.
"Oh, come on, you're exaggerating," Foina replied as she brushed off his sarcasm.
Caron then shifted the conversation by asking, "How did you figure out that Oyun was up to something?"
"We've been keeping an eye on him for a while. Just watching to see what he would do. It was pure coincidence that the Leston family got tangled up in his schemes," Foina explained.
"Ah, so he's a repeat offender?" Caron asked.
"Well, how do you think a commoner merchant managed to get into the Thebe Council? It was only possible because he had the higher-ups backing him. Oyun used to be the one who always cleaned up after those esteemed individuals... Our targets are the ones pulling the strings behind him. Judging by the way they deployed the Imperial Guards just to eliminate evidence, I'd say some pretty big names are involved." Foina's voice echoed from the crystal orb.
Caron paused as he considered her words. Was that truly the reason why the Imperial Guards had been sent down so quickly? He wasn't sure if Caligo could really be trusted.
...Not yet, he thought. It was too early to make such a judgment.
It was true that they had been helpful in resolving this particular incident, but trusting them completely was out of the question. He needed to dig deeper into their true intentions, their operations in Thebe, and what they were really after.
Foina's voice cut through his thoughts as she said, "So, it's time for you to answer. Will you be friends with our dear Rio? Surely the great Duke's grandson wouldn't go back on his word, right?"
She sounded impatient through the orb, but Caron responded calmly, "It's on hold."
"Ha... Are you really going to hit me in the back of the head like this?" Foina replied.
"My father always told me, 'Don't become friends with bad people,'" Caron said.
"Bad people?" Foina repeated.
"What, are you saying you're good people? You're definitely bad. You're out there dealing with smuggled goods from the back alleys, aren't you?" Caron answered.
There was a short silence, before a loud, hearty laugh erupted from the other side of the orb.
"Hahaha! You got me there. You're right. You have to be careful when making friends," Foina admitted.
After laughing for a while, her tone softened and she said, "I understand. It makes sense that there's a lack of trust between us. That's just how it is. This is something time will solve."
"I'll explain it to my grandfather," Caron replied.
"Hmm? I think there's been a misunderstanding. It is true that connecting with the Leston territory would be beneficial, but the person we're really interested in is you, Caron Leston," Foinasaid.
"Why is that?" Caron asked, his suspicion evident.
"We invest in people. That's the only principle that's kept Caligo alive in Thebe. You have a good bloodline, good skills, and on top of that, you've got guts. Do I have to explain more?" Foina concluded, then laughed again.
It was clear that Foina knew exactly what her words meant. Caron merely narrowed his eyes silently in response.
"If you still find us untrustworthy, then think of this whole ordeal as a gift. We'll have plenty of time to build trust later," Foina said.
"Accepting gifts from bad people usually leads to negative consequences," Caron remarked.
"You never know. One day, you might need our help. Life is unpredictable, after all. Maybe... in dealing with some internal family conflicts?" Foina remarked, her tone taking on a more suggestive edge.
"...You certainly have a knack for poking your nose where it doesn't belong," Caron said.
"You can contact me anytime through that orb. So, don't hesitate if you ever need help. I'm busy with work, so bye for now! See you next time, cute little wolf!" Foina said.
With those words, the light in the crystal orb dimmed and faded out. Caron sighed and tucked it back into his pocket. He muttered, "Is there some kind of water vein running through this city? Everyone here seems completely out of their minds."
Leo shook his head and responded, "If that's the case, is there an underground river flowing beneath Uncle Fayle's place?"
"Huh? Why are you bringing up my house all of a sudden?" Caron asked.
"... Forget it," Leo said, deciding to drop the subject.
***
After wrapping up their mission, Caron and his group returned to their lodgings. As they stepped inside, the first one to greet them was Zerath.
"Well done," Zerath said.
"Were there any more attacks?" Caron asked as he recalled the earlier ambush they had faced.
The attack had occurred right after they received the evidence from Caligo. The assailants, desperate to destroy the evidence and eliminate Oyun's family, had rushed at them with poison capsules in their mouths, ready to kill. If it hadn't been for Zerath's quick action, there would have been casualties for sure.
"No, nothing much happened. Mayor Grine and Commissioner Gyle are waiting for you inside. Let's go in," Zerath responded.
"Alright," Caron agreed.
As they walked into the mansion together, Caron spotted two familiar old men deep in conversation. Even though it was well past midnight, it seemed they were still talking. As soon as Caron entered, both of them sighed in relief.
"We're back," Caron announced.
"Thank goodness you're safe. Caron, do you have any idea how worried I was?" Gyle asked.
"Haha. Did I keep you up, Grandfather?" Caron teased lightly.
"How could I sleep?" Gyle replied as he walked toward Caron and pulled him into a tight embrace. He asked, "Are you hurt? Any injuries?"
"Of course not. I'm your grandson," Caron replied.
"Thank goodness, seriously, thank goodness!" Gyle exclaimed.
The most pressing matters had been dealt with. All that remained was to tidy up the situation.
After spending some time in his grandfather's embrace, Caron finally glanced around the room and spoke up. "Grandfather, shouldn't we make sure everything is properly wrapped up?"
"Of course we should," Gyle said.
Caron grinned and said, "Hehe, let's sit down and talk first!"
He coaxed his grandfather into taking a seat, and the rest followed his lead, settling into their chairs.
"Mayor Grine," Caron began with a respectful tone.
"Speak freely, Mr. Caron," Grine responded.
"You understand the impact this incident might have on Thebe, right?" Caron asked.
Mayor Grine sighed heavily, his expression grim as he nodded and said, "...Yes, I do."
The situation was dire. A member of Thebe's council had nearly caused the death of the Leston family's grandsons. Thebe couldn't escape responsibility, and as its mayor, neither could Grine.
"As I mentioned earlier, I will fully cooperate with the investigation," Mayor Grine continued. Though he was little more than a puppet, he knew he couldn't avoid the consequences of this mess. Being a mayor meant being held accountable.
"And if the Leston family holds me responsible for failing to prevent this incident, then of course I will—" Grine continued, but he was cut off.
"What? What are you talking about?" Caron replied, his eyes wide with surprise as he paused mid-bite of a cookie he had picked up from the table. He looked at Mayor Grine incredulously, then asked, "Holding you responsible? What did you do wrong to us, Mayor Grine?"
"B-But... You said you were going to wrap up the situation..." Grine stuttered.
"Oh, come on! How could we hold someone who's so close to my grandfather responsible? Blood connections, regional connections, school connections! What's more important than those? I'm not that uptight. Right, Sir Zerath?" Caron remarked.
"...Just keep going," Zerath replied as he decided to watch Caron do as he pleased. It was also Caron's responsibility to wrap up this incident.
Before coming to Thebe, there was something Duke Halo had told Zerath.
"Let Caron do as he wishes."
Zerath didn't quite know what this seemingly carefree youngest grandson of the duke was up to, but for now, he intended to follow his orders and watch.
"Mayor Grine, you were the most cooperative person in Thebe! We should be thanking you, not holding you responsible! I'm not the kind of guy who forgets a favor," Caron said confidently.
"Absolutely! How do you think I raised our Caron? Hey, Grine, does my grandson seem like the kind of person who lacks gratitude?" Gyle chimed in, backing his grandson.
"No, Sir, that's not what I meant..." Mayor Grine tried to explain.
"Just listen to him. Our smart Caron must have a good reason for what he's saying," Gyle insisted.
"...Alright," Grine conceded.
With his grandfather's support, Caron had the perfect setup. He flashed a heart at Gyle with his hands, then smiled brightly at the mayor before instructing, "In the morning, I'd like you to make an official statement. Just tell it like it was. The train carrying the Ducal Family of Leston's grandsons was attacked, and Oyun was arrested. That should do it."
Grine's face turned pale. Typically, incidents involving noble families or high-ranking officials were investigated in secret to protect their reputations. The attack on the grandsons of the Leston household was directly tied to the family's honor, and such things were usually covered up, not broadcasted.
"So you're saying... I should be the one to publicly announce this, tarnishing the honor of the Ducal Family of Leston..?" Grine asked.
"Well, if someone's trying to cover up the incident, what do you think we should do?" Caron countered.
If the imperial guards had truly been sent to eliminate the evidence, they were enemies of the Leston household. In other words, their goal was to quietly erase all traces of the incident. But Caron knew exactly how to counter such a move.
"We should make the incident so big that they wouldn't dare to even think about hiding it," Caron declared. He intended to do the very thing their enemies would hate the most.
"While we're at it, let's portray the council as a vile group that attacked the Leston family. And you, Mayor Grine, will be known as the righteous leader who stood against injustice! What do you think? It's a good idea, right?" Caron asked with a grin, turning a crisis into an opportunity.
Grine finally realized the meaning behind Caron's words. So, he cautiously asked Caron for clarification, "Do I really have the power to pull this off?"
"The power is right in front of you," Caron replied confidently.
Grine scoffed and replied, "The support of the Ducal Family of Leston? How is that any different from what we have now?"
"It's definitely different. In the past, the council and you were in an employer-employee relationship. But with the Ducal Family of Leston... You'll be bound together by a strong, unbreakable connection, won't you?" Caron replied with a bright smile.
Thebe was an appealing city. So Caron decided to show off his ambition.
Of course we have to claim it for ourselves, ge thought.