Chapter 88. The Train Goes
Despite the immediate execution of the marquis, who had been branded a traitor, the city's atmosphere wasn't grim. In fact, it was almost pleasant.
"He was always emptying our pockets... and it turns out he was plotting treason," one of the citizens said.
"I told you, having a marquis like that never did us any good," another citizen replied.
"I knew the marquis was turning a blind eye to the slave trade, but I had no idea he was personally capturing and selling slaves," someone added.
"There was a reason he kept the citizens from leaving the city, huh?" another person commented.
Just walking down the street, one could hear complaints about the late marquis. Not a single person seemed regretful about his death. Even the soldiers were no exception.
While one could have expected trouble during the cleanup, the soldiers were surprisingly cooperative, even more so than the civilians. They were likely eager to avoid any connection to the crime of treason. And so, with the full cooperation of all involved, the long night passed uneventfully.
The next morning, in Leandro's castle, Revelio sat slumped in the Marquis' seat, sighing heavily. Across from him, Caron sat grinning, chewing on some jerky.
"This city is a complete mess," Revelio complained. "Apart from the military, there's not a single thing here that functions properly. Marquis Leandro, that fool, must've had a brain made of muscles."
Caron munched on his jerky, clearly amused by Revelio's grumbling. He remarked, "Oh, I should've split his head open to check. Want me to go back right now and check it out?"
"I'm terrified because I know you'd actually do it! Forget it," Revelio said, shaking his head.
"Oh, come on. You're the one who sent Leandro's family to the capital at the crack of dawn," Caron said.
"...I was just following protocol," Revelio replied stiffly.
"You're cold-blooded. Didn't you see the face of Marquis Leandro's son? He was bawling his eyes out, snot and all," Caron added.
Leandro's family had been sent to the capital for their involvement in his treason. Of course, that didn't mean they would all be executed. There would be a thorough investigation to determine if they had known about the conspiracy or participated in it, and only after that would a final verdict be made.
Taking a sip of water from the desk, Revelio replied in a voice filled with annoyance, "Whether they cry or cough up blood, what's it to me? Let the capital sentence them to life imprisonment for all I care."
"You're ruthless," Caron said with a chuckle.
"That scumbag of a father ordered his knights to capture innocent people, and his son... Well, let's just say the son had his hands all over the slaves his father brought in. According to a few slave traders, most of the attractive slaves passed through his hands," Revelio continued.
It was a fitting example of the phrase "Like father, like son". And it wasn't just the son who was a problem. Leandro's wife had her own share of issues; she was far from normal too.
"They captured young slaves and... what? Enjoyed their screams while torturing them? The fact that these vile scum even existed in the empire is revolting. I'll make sure they're executed, drawn, and quartered!" Caron growled, his voice thick with disgust.
"You were talking about life imprisonment just a moment ago," Revelio pointed out.
"I'll sentence them to life imprisonment, and then kill them! These nobles are always the same, aren't they? Give them a little power, and they rot from the inside out," Caron said.
"Well, technically, the royal family is at the top of that noble hierarchy. The water upstream needs to be clean for the downstream—"
"...Please, shut up," Caron snapped, cutting Revelio off.
As they exchanged these "lighthearted" remarks, a knock interrupted them.
"Your Highness! Young Master Caron! It's Cobler!"
"Come in."
A moment later, an ugly-looking man in formal attire entered the room. It was Cobler, the man who had played a crucial role in their recent liberation operation.
Caron looked at Cobler's face and let out a deep sigh. "...If it weren't for those petitions, I would've thrown you in with the rest of the slave traders."
"Eek!" Cobler yelped.
"You didn't, by any chance, threaten anyone into writing those petitions, did you?" Caron asked.
"M-Me? I don't... think I'm that evil?" Cobler stuttered.
"Look at that. Even you don't trust yourself," Caron said.
What had surprised them all was the sheer number of petitions that had come in on Cobler's behalf. Every single person who had been held in Cobler's slave pens had written a petition defending him. That part was expected. But even a few citizens had willingly submitted petitions for him.
One read, "Cobler is a dear friend. When I couldn't even afford my parents' funeral, he lent me money without expecting anything in return."
Another said, "He has donated consistently to our orphanage. I only just found out he was a slave trader, but... considering his good deeds, I beg you to show leniency."
Recalling the contents of those petitions, Caron scowled and said, "You're really cleaning up after yourself on this one. But at the end of the day, a slave trader is still a slave trader."
"I won't deny that, Young Master," Cobler said quietly, looking unusually somber. "If I am to be sentenced for my crimes, I will accept punishment." A bitter smile played at the corners of his lips.
Caron, watching him, let out another sigh, then...
Smack!
"Ah!" Cobler yelped as Caron's hand struck the back of his head, sending him sprawling onto the floor.
"Who are you trying to fool with that emotional nonsense?" Caron sneered, his voice dripping with disdain.
Cobler flinched and answered, "Y-You saw right through it..."
"The only reason you're not rotting in a cell right now is because everyone from your slave pens begged for your release. If even one of them had asked for your punishment, you'd be paying the price right now, no matter what role you played in this. Do you understand me?" Caron asked sharply.
No matter how much he tried to clean up his image, Cobler was still, at his core, a slave trader. And that would never change. However, Caron had decided to give him one chance, just this once.
"Cobler, there's one thing you need to take responsibility for. Listen carefully," Caron said.
"Y-Yes, Young Master! I will follow your orders to the best of my ability!" Cobler replied.
"It's time for you to put your skills to good use. The people we freed from slavery, they'll need help adjusting to life in the empire. Whether you provide them with job training or help them find ways to use their existing skills, I expect you to do everything you can. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Caron asked.
Cobler bowed low and answered with a voice filled with determination, "I will give it my all! That's exactly what Cobler Manpower Agency specializes in!"
Revelio, who had been silently observing the conversation, let out a sigh and said, "Cobler, I'll send a letter to the Imperial Immigration Office to get you some assistance. The empire can't keep ignoring the refugee problem from the southern kingdoms forever."
"It's been years since the war started, and they're only just getting to that? Truly the height of incompetence," Caron muttered, shaking his head.
Revelio shrugged and replied, "The higher-ups always drag their feet. They'll only act now that the issue has become public. Cobler, there's one thing I want you to promise me."
"Anything, Your Highness! Just say the word!" Cobler exclaimed, bowing down once more.
"Do everything you can to erase the stain of being a former slave trader. Grow that manpower agency of yours. If you need help, you can even ask the Leston Duchy for assistance."
Cobler hesitated, unsure of what to make of Revelio's words.
"Are you telling me... to keep running the agency?" Cobler asked.
"I'm telling you to bring your business out of the shadows. Make it legitimate. But remember this. If even one victim comes forward to accuse you in the future, you'll be thrown into the imperial dungeons that same day. Got it?" Revelio replied.
"I will remember it for the rest of my life," Cobler confirmed.
"Good. Caron, anything else you need to say to him?" Revelio asked.
Caron shook his head and answered, "No, I think I'm done."
"Alright then. Cobler, you can go," Revelio said, having wasted no time handling the matter.
Cobler stood up, bowing deeply once again to both Caron and Revelio. He exclaimed, "Thank you so much for giving someone like me a chance! I swear, I will work hard with everything I have to ensure you are not disappointed!"
Caron smirked as he watched the man grovel and responded, "I think that's enough of a reward for aligning with my path, right?"
Cobler beamed at the comment and answered, "Yes! I'll take my leave now!" With that, he exited the room, leaving them behind.
The situation had mostly been resolved, at least from Caron's perspective. As he stood up from his seat, a smile spread across his face and he said, "Well, I think it's time for me to head out as well, Your Highness."
"...Why the sudden formality? Where are you going?" Revelio asked suspiciously.
"I had some assignments that I needed to take care of... So, it's time to get ready for my departure. Oh, if Father asks for me, just let him know I've already left," Caron said.
"...So you're running away, aren't you?" Revelio replied.
"Ah, don't misunderstand, Your Highness. It's definitely not because I'm afraid of Father's endless nagging!" Caron answered with a playful grin.
"Get back here, you—!" Revelio called out.
Bang!
The door slammed loudly behind Caron as he walked away, smiling to himself. As usual, he despised anything that felt like a hassle.
***
Caron left the castle and strolled through the streets. Though the aftermath of the rebellion had left a bit of chaos, the city looked entirely different from when he'd first arrived in Reben. People moved busily, and an energy buzzed throughout the town.
"It's amazing what a difference a good leader can make," he mused.
He rested his hand casually on the hilt of his sword, Guillotine, and immediately heard its voice echo in his mind.
"You seem pleased, owner. See? Didn't I tell you? You wanted to kill those scum just as much as I did."
"Is there anything wrong with that? Anyone who used to be a slave would feel the same. And look at you, you couldn't resist gulping down the knights' mana, could you?" Caron asked Guillotine.
"...You're just like a demon, owner."
"Yes, and you're a demon sword," Caron shot back.
But this battle had yielded significant outcomes. He'd absorbed a portion of the rampant mana from the knights. Although most had been used during the fight, some remained.
"...They're enough to keep working with, at least," Caron said.
Since it wasn't Azure Mana, it didn't fill his core much, but it was still enough. By the Ocean Dominance Arts' scale, his core was now about eight parts full of the Sixth Sea. He knew he could open the Seventh Sea from here, but he decided not to rush it. Everything had its time. First, he would completely fill the Sixth Sea, then he would break through to the Seventh.
"Better stay careful," Caron said.
"Careful of what?" Guillotine asked.
"Careful of your power," Caron replied.
In theory, he could grow stronger quickly by forcibly absorbing knights' mana through Guillotine. It was a tempting shortcut. While he had joked about it being a demon sword, its powers indeed resembled one. But there was one crucial lesson Caron had learned in his previous life. Any power that was easily gained only imposed limits in the end.
"How did the Founder of the Leston household handle this urge?" he wondered aloud.
It was a display of restraint befitting the great Founder of his family. Guillotine, however, answered with an almost matter-of-fact tone.
"Rael didn't hold back. He absorbed as much as he wanted," Guillotine replied.
"...Was he just a butcher? That's... truly insane," Caron added.
"Oh, he didn't kill humans. He absorbed mana while slicing down those demon hordes. For the record, I can even purify dark mana before passing it to you. I'm a sacred relic of the North Sea, after all!" Guillotine declared proudly.
"Maybe work on your phrasing, you demon sword," Caron replied dryly.
The information was useful, though. Guillotine could have explained it earlier, but considering its nature, Caron understood. It was something that could come in handy one day, far in the future.
As various thoughts ran through Caron's mind, Guillotine interrupted by saying, "Hey, here comes your new friend."
Caron glanced up just as a towering figure ran toward him. His heavy footsteps rumbled like small earthquakes, and with each step, the road even seemed to buckle slightly.
"Caron Leston!" Utula, the giant, called out as he halted in front of Caron with a booming voice. Carefully, he lifted a small girl from his shoulders and placed her on the ground. He said, "This young girl came looking for you! She says she has something she wants to give you as a gift!"
Caron looked down slowly at the child. She couldn't be more than eight years old. She was thin and undernourished. The girl was clearly one of the former slaves recently freed by the rebellion.
"Hello," Caron greeted her, bending down to meet her eyes.
The girl bowed politely and said, "Hello, Sir Caron Leston. My name is Lea."
"It's nice to meet you, Lea."
"I heard you saved us... so I wanted to give you a gift to show you my thanks," Lea said. She pulled out a tiny flower crown, then carefully said to Caron, "I made it from flowers I picked outside the inn. I hope you like it."
"Your hands are skilled. It's beautiful," Caron said with a smile, and Lea's face lit up in delight.
"May I... put it on your head?" Lea asked.
"The... flower crown?" Caron asked, slightly hesitant, but he quickly nodded with a grin. "Yes, a gift is a gift. Thank you."
With a careful hand, Lea placed the crown on his head.
At that very moment, voices started calling out around them.
"Caron Leston!" one of the people watching called out.
"Thank you!" someone said.
"Sir Caron, thank you so much!" another person added.
That was when Caron looked up to see that a crowd had gathered, surrounding him with bright faces and cheers of gratitude. He had never experienced anything like this before, so it wasn't something he'd anticipated; in part, it was also because his actions had been purely personal.
Without a word, he looked back at the people and smiled faintly. This felt good. He murmured, "...This isn't bad."
Caron then gently patted Lea on the head and said, "Since you've given me such a wonderful gift, I'll make sure to bring you one next time. Lea, I won't forget your name."
"Thank you for saving us, sir! I'll never forget what you did!" Lea exclaimed with sincerity.
"Grow up strong and well," Caron replied with a gentle smile.
Though his actions had been driven by personal reasons, seeing the happiness he'd brought to so many people made him feel that it was a good outcome.
Thus, his journey in Reben ended amid the resounding cheers of countless grateful people.
"Well then, until we meet again," Caron said with a light wave. He took a slow, deliberate step forward, allowing the sound of their cheers to linger a little longer in his ears.