"Within three days at the latest," Caron said firmly, "Empty out your secret fund and have it transported to Reben. Cobler, you still have some of your men stationed there, don't you?"
"Of course," Cobler replied with his usual, greasy grin.
"Good. You'll make contact through them and deliver the money. And if that money doesn't make it to Reben..." Caron's voice dropped, smooth as silk and cold as a blade. "You know what'll happen, right? The investigators and the Oceanwolf Knight Order will pay your territory a visit. Oh, and don't even think about reporting this. I already have people stationed all over your lands. Hehe."
Caron smiled as he said it, but there was nothing warm in that smile.
Even in the face of such venomous threats, Baron Norang maintained a tense, disciplined expression. He answered, "There couldn't possibly be any hesitation, my lord. I am deeply honored that you've entrusted such an important matter to me. I'll do everything I can to meet your expectations."
"Excellent attitude," Caron said, amused. "Now, off you go. You can contact me through this communication orb from now on."
"Yes, my lord," Norang replied, then carefully accepted the communication orb Caron handed over and bowed deeply once more before leaving the room.
Creaaak.
As the door closed behind him, Cobler finally let out a long breath. He said, "Phew! I thought he was going to catch on! Heh heh, did you see his face? He'll be shoveling money into your lap for the rest of his miserable life. Do you have any idea what kind of filth he was back in Reben?"
"Do you know him?" Caron asked.
"Only I know him; he doesn't know me. He used to suck up to Marquis Leandro. When you said you wanted him of all people, I nearly dropped dead from shock!" Cobler answered.
He sidled up to Caron, massaging his shoulders, then said, "He's human garbage, that one."
"Hmm... As a former slave trader, you shouldn't be saying that," Caron said.
"Ah, well... Not exactly a slave trader... I prefer the term human resource redistribution specialist, if you please," Cobler replied.
"Cobler," Caron called.
"Yes, Young Master?" Cobler responded.
"You took that bribe earlier, didn't you?" Caron pointed out.
"Ah! How did you know? Your intuition really is unmatched, my—" Cobler began, but was cut off.
"Hand it over," Caron interrupted.
Cobler froze for a heartbeat, then obediently produced a small pouch glittering with gemstones. Caron patted Cobler's back, took the pouch, and slipped it into his pouch of dimensional space.
"From now on, you'll be managing that man personally," Caron ordered.
"Understood. May I ask, though..." Cobler hesitated. "Do you truly intend to build a private fund?"
Caron shrugged and replied, "My father's already the treasurer of the duchy. Why would I need a secret fund? We've got more legitimate wealth than we can spend. And if I ever did want a secret fund, I'd go through elves or dwarves. I wouldn't risk exposure in the empire."
Cobler gave a small gasp of admiration and said, "As expected of you, Young Master!"
"Cobler, do you know when a person feels the greatest despair?" Caron asked.
Caron took a slow sip of his drink, then smiled thinly, and continued, "It's when they believe their lifelong wish is about to come true—and it shatters right in front of them."
That wretched old man deserved nothing less. He had toyed with countless lives for pleasure. It was only right that his own end be equally pitiful.
"Oh, and find out where his father's grave is," Caron added casually.
It still irked him that he'd never personally laid hands on the late Baron Norang. But it didn't really matter. The son was filth enough to make up for it.
Cobler shivered slightly at Caron's tone.
What kind of twisted history lies between these two? Cobler wondered. What did that fool do to earn the young master's hatred?
If there was ever a man one should never make an enemy of, it was Caron Leston. He was relentless, brilliant, and utterly ruthless.
Whatever Norang had done, it had to have been catastrophic. That was what the report said, and above all, Caron's way of handling things was nothing short of brutal.
He always gives bad guys the kind of ending they deserve, Cobler thought grimly.
He still remembered the first time he'd met Caron back in Reben. He wondered how it would have gone if he'd treated Caron like just another noble's spoiled son.
I don't even want to imagine it, Cobler thought, a chill crawling up his spine.
The outcome would have been completely different. After all, Caron Leston's precision and follow-through were chillingly sharp.
"Brrr, isn't it a bit cold in here?" Cobler asked with a forced laugh, rubbing his arms.
"What are you talking about?" Caron replied flatly. "Summer's not even over."
"Perhaps the air-conditioning is too strong..." Cobler muttered.
"Just make sure you don't break that toy," Caron interrupted, his tone light but his words sharp. "I want to see him struggle to the very end. You understand what I mean, right?"
"Of course, Young Master," Cobler answered quickly. "I'll put my men on it—maybe even hire a few specialists . "
"Specialists?" Caron repeated.
"Oh yes. There are con artists who specialize in this kind of work. They're bottom-feeders who can bleed a noble house dry in no time. With your protection, they'll have free rein," Cobler explained excitedly.
"Cobler," Caron called.
"Yes, Young Master?" Cobler responded.
"Let's live honestly," Caron said.
His lips curved as he stared at the door through which Norang had left.
This was the last of them. The final name on his list.
You and your father treated me like a toy, Caron thought. So now, you'll get to feel what that's like.
Still, he mused, he was being merciful. At least he had no intention of laying his hands on their children. When the baron's house fell, their offspring would suffer naturally—but that was the course of justice.
"...He used to say being born a slave was a sin," Caron murmured. "But if that's true, then being born as his child must be a sin as well."
"Pardon?" Cobler asked, blinking.
"Nothing. I was just talking to myself. Go bring another bottle of liquor," Caron ordered.
"Heh heh! I knew you'd ask, so it's already prepared, my lord!" Cobler said proudly, producing a fresh bottle from a nearby cabinet.
"Sit down and have a drink too," Caron said.
"Sharing a drink with you, Young Master? This worthless Cobler is honored beyond words!" Cobler said.
"You've gotten good at flattery," Caron said dryly.
Clink.
Their glasses met, and Caron said in a smooth, amused tone, "But letting con artists run loose is its own kind of problem, isn't it?"
"Don't worry, Young Master," Cobler said eagerly. "Once they've stripped Baron Norang bare, we'll throw them back in prison. Promise them reduced sentences, and they'll con twice as hard!"
"And then?" Caron asked.
"Then we con them back! That's justice, isn't it? Once Norang's house collapses, we toss those rats right back into their cages. Ha! Serves them right!" Cobler continued excitedly.
"You're learning," Caron said with a faint smile.
"Those con artists need to get a taste of their own medicine—see what it feels like to be swindled! So don't worry, Young Master. I'll make sure I 'cook' them up real nice," Cobler replied with a smirk.
"I'll trust you," Caron said.
"To the bastards—may they rot!" Cobler toasted as he raised his cup with an exaggerated flourish.
Caron laughed as he clinked his own cup against it. It would be entertaining to watch a game of cruelty that would last a very long time.
You won't even be able to die when you want to, Caron thought, his eyes glinting like steel.
Even after fifty years, the vengeance of a knight was never too late.
And so, another fate was sealed.
***
While Caron was away tending to personal matters, preparations for the joint funeral of the expedition advanced swiftly.
The location for the ceremony was decided to be the Imperial Academy in the capital. There were many grand venues in the empire, but it was Emperor Revelio himself who decided on the Academy. And he had his reasons.
"The expedition opened the path to the future. The Academy, a symbol of the empire's and the continent's future, is the most fitting place to honor their noble sacrifice."
No one dared to object. Once the venue was settled, leaders from every nation began to move. From the Sultan of the Pajar Sultanate to the kings of various kingdoms and the Pope of the Holy Kingdom—envoys and mourners representing all races started their journey to the Imperial capital. Among them was a presence so extraordinary it shook the continent itself—the World Tree.
It was the first time the World Tree had ever left the Southern Great Forest.
"We must not dishonor the sacrifice of the heroes."
"Let us stand strong together!"
The students of the Academy, led by the Reformation Club, now one of the institution's leading factions, threw themselves wholeheartedly into the preparations. Dwarven engineers sent from the Dwarf Kingdom also lent their skilled hands, and even the Magic Tower contributed their power.
Thus, in just two short weeks, the arrangements were completed. One by one, the leaders of the various nations arrived in the capital.
"By now, she should be arriving," Caron said as he waited at the train station reserved for dignitaries.
"Should I be nervous about this?" Leo muttered beside him.
"Of course you should be," Caron replied. "If anything happens to our guest, it'll be war. The entire railway has been halted for thirty minutes for this, and you think it's no big deal?"
"Hey now, Caron," Revelio said, chuckling under his breath. "Go easy on him, or Leo might start crying."
"With this attitude, it'll take forever for him to become the next head of the house," Caron said, clicking his tongue.
Revelio, his golden cloak gleaming under the sunlight, clapped Leo on the back and said warmly, "You've doing well, as always."
"I want to cry, Your Majesty," Leo said bitterly.
"Don't cry, young Duke," the emperor replied with a teasing smile. "It'll make you look ugly."
As the hero and the emperor threw banter around with the heir of the Ducal Family of Leston—
Whoosh!
The long-awaited train arrived. A massive engine shielded with layers of protective magic came to a halt, and from its doors emerged a breathtakingly beautiful elf.
The emperor stepped forward and bowed deeply, then said, "Welcome, dear World Tree."
She, the mother of the Elves and Nagas, a being far beyond the realm of mortals, was the very embodiment of life itself.
The World Tree smiled radiantly and returned his courtesy. She said, "I have often watched you from afar, emperor of the Orias Empire. Your welcome fills me with great joy."
Behind her shimmering green hair, a halo of light glowed softly. The crowd was struck speechless by her divine presence. All but one.
Caron looked distinctly unimpressed. He muttered dryly, "You're not even here in person—just a projection."
"...H-Hey, why would you say that?" Revelio whispered, panicking.
"Well, it's true, isn't it?" Caron said. "We did all the hard work, and now the main guest everyone's talking about isn't us, but the World Tree."
Before the embarrassed emperor could respond, the World Tree herself approached Caron. She laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and smiled, then said, "You are not wrong. I owe you a great debt. You saved me when I was dying—and you ended the tragic fate that bound me."
"It wasn't something I did alone," Caron replied quietly. "It was possible because many gave their lives. That's why you're here, isn't it? To honor them."
"As one who nurtures life," the World Tree said, "it is only natural to bless those who sacrificed their own for the sake of life itself."
"Well, you're still a lot easier on the eyes than that so-called god of light," Caron muttered with a smirk.
The World Tree chuckled softly and said, "I've brought you a gift. Perhaps it will ease your anger."
"Oh? Did you bring plenty of dew with you?" Caron asked.
"Something greater than that," the World Tree answered.
Following the emperor's lead, she stepped gracefully onto the platform. Behind her came the elven regent and Orion, both bowing in greeting. Caron exchanged polite words with them, then fell into step beside the World Tree.
"It must be troublesome, not being able to use a teleportation array," Caron said.
"This vessel of mine is made of pure mana," the World Tree explained. "It cannot rely on magic the way mortals do. Forgive me."
The reason the World Tree had taken the train was simple. Human magic couldn't teleport something like the World Tree.
"I thought, you know... Since you're the World Tree, you could just move anywhere you wanted," Caron said.
"If it's a place where my roots reach, yes. But sadly, my roots do not touch this land. I hope you understand," the World Tree replied.
"I wasn't complaining or anything. I was just curious, that's all," Caron said.
A joint funeral attended by a transcendent being... Caron hadn't expected the World Tree to show such concern. Although she looked healthy now, it hadn't been long since she had regained had vitality.
In other words, this was an honored guest he hadn't even dared to hope for.
Smiling faintly, Caron asked, "So... What's the gift?"
At Caron's question, the World Tree smiled gently and said, "A gift should not be revealed too easily, should it? The time spent wondering and waiting for it—that, too, is part of it."
"Hah, when you put it like that, now I'm really curious. Couldn't you at least give me a hint?" Caron asked.
"Hmm, come to think of it, I doubt it's something you'll be entirely pleased with," the World Tree muttered.
"What kind of gift is that supposed to be?" Caron asked, disappointed.
As they spoke, the Imperial Guards surrounded them, escorting the procession forward.
The sunlight shone warmly across the capital, bright and golden. Though the summer heat bore down, the World Tree smiled serenely and said, "It's a fine day to honor heroes."
"Ah, stop dodging the question," Caron complained. "You're killing me with curiosity."
"Seeing that look on your face," the World Tree laughed, "makes me want to keep the secret even more."
"I swear, I almost want to head down to the Southern Great Forest and nick a branch off your body. If I don't like the gift, can I at least take one that way?" Caron asked.
"You really are still a madman," the World Tree remarked.
"I hear that more these days. Thank you for the compliment," Caron replied.
With that, all the preparations were complete.
Thus began the final ceremony of the expedition, the joint funeral of heroes.