Chapter 74
The next morning, in front of the northern gate of Reben...
"Are you sure you don't want to take the train? If you wish, I can arrange a private one for you right now," Marquis Leandro said as he glanced at Caron with a generous smile.
Caron waved his hand dismissively, smiling back as he replied, "It's been four years since I was last out. I'd like to take my time and enjoy the journey."
"Traveling by carriage does have a certain charm. You appreciate such things at a young age," Leandro commented.
"I never quite liked trains, to be honest," Caron said.
"Is it because of the train incident four years ago?" Leandro asked knowingly.
Caron nodded and replied, "Something like that."
Leandro nodded in understanding, then gestured toward his men waiting behind the carriage. A middle-aged knight in leather armor quickly approached and bowed as soon as he arrived, then said, "You called for me, sir?"
Leandro patted him on the back and turned to Caron before saying, "This is Sir Owen. He will be escorting you to Thebe. He's also the commander of the Reben Knight Order. You can fully trust him, so if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask him."
The Reben Knight Order was Leandro's personal guard. If this knight was the commander, it meant he was essentially Leandro's right-hand man. With a debt of 500,000 gold at stake, sending a trusted subordinate made perfect sense.
Caron nodded and extended his hand to Sir Owen, then said, "I'll be in your care."
Sir Owen clasped Caron's hand in both of his and replied, "I'll serve you with all my heart and ensure nothing goes wrong."
Despite his title as commander, Sir Owen didn't seem particularly impressive. At best, he was hovering at the level of 6-Star. Compared to the Oceanwolf Knight Order or the Imperial Guards, he was rather lacking. Still, that was to be expected.
The Reben Knight Order was a small force, barely numbering thirty knights. It couldn't compare to the Oceanwolf Knight Order, which boasted over three hundred members. After all, Leandro's main duty in defending the border was commanding the regular army. In the event of a large-scale battle requiring knights, it was standard practice to receive reinforcements from nearby territories. Moreover, the empire had enjoyed a peaceful period recently, leading many noble families to reduce their knightly forces.
In that context, thirty knights is still a decent number, Caron thought. The issue, however, was how Marquis Leandro used those knights to line his own pockets.
"Sir Owen and ten knights will be responsible for your escort," Leandro added.
Ten knights was one-third of the entire order. It was clear how seriously Leandro was taking this transaction.
"I hope this won't affect the border's security too much because of me," Caron remarked.
"The southern kingdom is busy tearing itself apart, so there's no need to worry," Leandro said dismissively.
Caron glanced back at Neria, who stood silently behind him. Her gaze toward Sir Owen was filled with unmistakable hatred.
As if Sir Owen had noticed it, he smirked and said, "Even that elf will be grateful to me in the end. Who else in this world could become a slave of the Leston family? It must be an honor for her."
"Ha! That's the truth, isn't it, Young Master Caron?" Leandro chimed in, laughing.
Caron didn't need to ask to know the truth. Sir Owen was the one who had captured Neria. Even so, he simply smiled and nodded, hiding his true feelings.
"Shall we get going if everything's ready? I'd prefer to ride in the carriage alone with the elf..." Caron remarked casually.
Leandro narrowed his eyes, grinning as he said, "Ah, I see that's your taste. Very well. Sir Owen, let's grant Young Master Caron his wish."
"I've already arranged for everyone else to ride on horseback," Owen replied, seemingly misunderstanding Caron's intentions.
Caron didn't bother to correct the misunderstanding. There was no need. With the preparations completed, he boarded the carriage with Neria.
"I'll catch another elf for you soon, so do visit again," Marquis Leandro said with a knowing smile.
"...I'll look forward to it," Caron replied coolly.
"Safe travels, then," Marquis Leandro said.
The horse started pulling the carriage, and Caron closed the window with a smile on his face.
"Country bumpkins, only fit to drive carriages," Caron muttered to himself, thinking of the automobiles he had ridden back at Azureocean Castle. Still, the cushions of the carriage were surprisingly comfortable.
Sinking into the plush seat, he turned to Neria and said, "At my house, we have something called an automobile. One day, if I get the chance, I'll let you ride it. It's way faster than this. Have you ever been in one?"
Neria shook her head slightly and replied, "...No, I haven't."
"Elves are great at magic, but I wonder why you don't make things like that. Once you try it, you'll miss it when you're back at the Great Forest." Caron threw out a lighthearted joke to ease the tension, hoping to lighten her mood.
Gradually, the hostility that had shadowed Neria's face since encountering Sir Owen began to dissipate.
"Taking the train would've been faster and more comfortable, but that's not what I wanted," Caron mused, cracking a peanut from the tray beside him and popping it into his mouth. He then continued, "That knight, Sir Owen. He's the one who captured you, isn't he?"
Neria clenched her fists tightly, her brown eyes flickering with barely contained rage as she answered, "Yes, he was the one."
"Alright, that's all I needed to know. Now, try to get some rest. You didn't sleep last night, did you?" Caron asked, noticing the dark circles under her eyes.
During the previous night, they had slept in separate beds. Even so, Caron hadn't seen Neria sleep, either when he went to bed or when he woke up. She was suffering from deep insomnia, no doubt. It made him wonder how torturous this city had been for her.
"Neria," Caron called softly.
Neria hesitated for a moment, then looked up at him and answered, "Yes, Young Master Caron?"
"Get some sleep. It's going to take a while to reach Thebe. Even by train, it would take half a day, but by carriage, it'll be longer. There's nothing you can do right now, anyway," Caron said, laying out the reality before her calmly. Neria lowered her head silently in acknowledgment.
"I don't plan on letting those bastards live, so if you want to help me later, rest up while you can," Caron suddenly said calmly.
Neria's eyes widened in shock as she stared at him and asked, "Are you going to kill them all?"
"That's why we're traveling by carriage. If we took the train, there wouldn't be any opportunity for that. Didn't I tell you? I'm planning a rebellion. To make it work, we have to eliminate their core strength. And more importantly..." Caron continued as his hand briefly brushed the hilt of Guillotine.
"They deserve to die," he added, his voice cold as ice.
Whoosh.
A low hum resonated from Guillotine, as if responding to Caron's murderous intent.
***
In the underground city of Caligo, located beneath Thebe, Foina sat in her office reading a report sent by Caron.
"Elf rescue is completed. Currently en route to Thebe by carriage. Suggest rendezvous at the midpoint between Thebe and Reben. Planning to deal with the marquis's knights near the Tirisfal Forest."
The report detailed the success of Caron's mission to rescue the elf, just as she had requested. In reality, it was less of a formal report and more of a transcript of what Caron had explained through a communication orb.
As Foina read it all the way to the bottom, an incredulous laugh escaped her lips. She muttered, "...His madness is on a whole new level now."
The most outrageous part of the report was the last request Caron had made.
"Request the Zion Kingdom to move their troops to the border area shared with Reben. Caligo's forces alone won't be enough, so relay my intent to my father. If this request is denied, send me an immediate response."
Foina wondered what Caron was thinking.
Julio, who had been working across from her, asked, "Foina, what are you so deep in thought about?"
"Julio, take a look at this," Foina said, handing over the report containing Caron's message.
"It's a report from Young Master Caron?" Julio replied.
"Just read it," Foina urged.
With her prodding, Julio fell silent and quickly scanned the document. A moment later, after grasping the problematic portion, he asked gravely, "...He wants to move the Zion Kingdom's troops?"
"It's madness, isn't it? This is beyond our reach. We're talking about international diplomacy here. The moment Zion's forces approach the imperial border, we'll be on the brink of war," Foina said.
It was essentially an invitation for a military provocation. She had to wonder if this was even a plan born of a sane mind. She couldn't understand what Caron was trying to achieve.
"...He's not suggesting war, is he?" Foina eventually added cautiously.
"...No, a military provocation alone shouldn't lead to war. At most, both sides would move their forces to the border as a show of strength," Julio speculated.
"True. The Zion Kingdom wouldn't be foolish enough to wage war with the empire, especially not when they're already at war with the Keath Kingdom," Foina agreed.
"I did hear the two kingdoms signed a six-month truce," Julio remarked.
"...Does the Leston Duchy have a way to negotiate with the Zion Kingdom?" Foina asked.
"Yes, it should be possible. Leston Duchy has maintained good relations with neighboring nations," Julio replied confidently.
The significant achievements the Oceanwolf Knight Order had obtained while they traveled across the continent had earned the Leston family a respected reputation. Despite being within the empire, many nations treated the Leston Duchy separately from the empire itself.
"So, it's possible to make this request, then?" Foina clarified.
"If there's enough incentive, it's possible they could move their forces," Julio replied thoughtfully.
"But why go to such lengths...?" Foina started, but then paused as a sudden realization struck her. A possibility flashed through her mind.
Separate the knights and deal with them. Then provoke a standoff between Zion's forces and Reben's elite troops, she thought.
If there was a standoff at the border, Marquis Leandro would be forced to mobilize his troops to the front lines. The disparity between the empire's forces and Zion's would make that inevitable. After all, the difference in military strength between the empire and the Zion Kingdom was undeniable.
In such a scenario, it was hard to imagine that Marquis Leandro would choose to fight while leaving Reben vulnerable. But if things unfolded that way...
...Reben will be left unguarded, Foina thought.
The city would be completely empty. As Foina's thoughts raced, she finally pieced together Caron's true plan.
"He's truly insane," Foina said softly.
Her whispered remark was so abrupt that Julio couldn't help but ask cautiously, "Who are you referring to?"
"Who else could it be? The young master, of course." Foina shook her head, then said more seriously, "Julio, connect me to Fayle Leston immediately."
"Alright," Julio said, then quickly adjusted the communication orb and handed it over to Foina.
Whoosh.
After a brief hum of resonance, a deep, dignified voice came from the other side.
"Foina, it's been a while since I've heard from you. I hope you've been well?" Fayle asked in greeting. His tone was polite, a stark contrast to his unruly son.
Clearing her throat, Foina replied smoothly, "It's been a while, Lord. I believe I told you last time that you didn't have to be so formal."
"Ha ha... Addressing someone with your experience so casually would be unthinkable," Fayle said.
"Ah, now you're just making me feel old."
"That wasn't my intention, I assure you."
With the pleasantries exchanged, Foina quickly shifted the conversation to more pressing matters. "I'm contacting you because of a request from your son, Caron."
There was a noticeable shift in Fayle's tone on the other end as he replied, "...Please, go on. I'm listening."
"Caron has requested that Zion move their forces."
"The Zion Kingdom? All of a sudden?"
Eliminate the knights, lure the stationed forces outside the city... When pieced together, there was only one conclusion.
"It seems Caron is planning to stage a rebellion against the lord of Reben."
Foina let out a heavy sigh as she finished explaining her theory to Fayle. There was a pause before Fayle spoke again, his voice grave.
"...I think some further explanation is necessary, Foina. What exactly is Caron plotting?" Fayle asked.
"What else...?" Foina paused.
Probably a full-blown act of madness, she thought. However, she bit back those last words, knowing they wouldn't help the situation.