* * *
“What?”
It was rare for him to be so obvious about it, so I asked.
He raised his eyebrows slightly, a habit of his.
“I thought you should still be resting.”
“You sound like Cloden… What’s with the sudden concern?”
The words came out before I could think, and Ateol looked momentarily taken aback.
Then, he fell silent.
The carriage sped toward the underground prison.
Warm, damp air from the rainy season drifted in through the open window.
As we descended the slick stairs of the palace dungeon, Ateol suddenly stretched out his arm, stopping me in my tracks.
“Now what?”
Ateol turned to look at me.
“There’s blood.”
“Blood?”
As I sniffed the air, a distinct metallic scent lingered between the dampness.
At first, I thought it was just the smell of wet stone and soil, but realizing it was blood wasn’t exactly a good sign.
I gave Ateol a slight push on the back.
“Hurry.”
Ateol immediately quickened his pace, almost breaking into a run.
The scent of blood grew stronger.
When we finally reached the innermost part of the prison, where the murderer was being held, Ateol suddenly stopped and lifted his cloak to block my view.
“…What is this…?”
“It would be best if you didn’t see it.”
The thick scent of blood.
Could it be that the prisoner was already dead?
I quickly shoved Ateol’s arm aside and stepped forward—only to find an unexpected figure before me.
“…I greet the Master of the Highest Tower.”
Clang.
The sound of a sword hitting the ground accompanied the figure as he knelt.
Sitting next to a bloodstained sword was none other than Caleus.
“Why is the Crown Prince here?”
“I came to check on the prisoner and…”
Caleus cast a brief glance to the side.
I stiffened.
In a pool of fresh blood lay a man—his body and head completely severed.
Dressed in pitch-black robes, his entire face concealed by a hood. …
He wasn’t the prisoner.
When I turned my head, the actual prisoner was cowering in the corner of his cell, trembling uncontrollably.
“It appears to be an assassin. He was moments away from killing the prisoner, so I acted in haste… I have sullied your noble sight. Please forgive me.”
So, an assassin had arrived just in time to eliminate the murderer, and Caleus had stopped him?
That was a little too convenient.
Was there more to this than it seemed?
I turned to Ateol.
His eyes narrowed as he silently glared at Caleus.
I motioned for Caleus to stand, and only then did the guards and prison wardens come rushing in.
Caleus clicked his tongue.
“All guards stationed at the prison today, as well as those responsible for their oversight, are hereby dismissed from duty. Depending on the circumstances, they may have to stand trial.”
At his grave pronouncement, the guards and wardens visibly paled.
The fact that an assassin had infiltrated undetected was already a done deal—nothing for me to concern myself with.
But once could not become twice.
I turned to Caleus.
“The prisoner will be transferred to the underground labyrinth of the Magic Tower. Any objections?”
“None. As you will, Tower Master.”
Of course, he wouldn’t object.
Not in this situation.
Even if he had complaints, he wasn’t in a position to voice them.
And so, the murderer was sent to the depths of the Magic Tower’s prison, as I had decided.
It would be hell for him.
The Imperial Palace’s underground dungeons were harsh, but the Magic Tower’s prison was something else entirely.
A straight drop in the quality of life.
That’s what happens when you commit murder.
Once thrown into the Magic Tower’s prison, the prisoner reportedly confessed everything, wailing for release—or even death.
Regardless, he remained there until his trial.
The day of the trial.
As with any courtroom, the atmosphere was solemn.
The audience sat in silence.
I was seated in an elevated position—close enough to see but not to speak or influence the judge.
The two seats beside me were empty.
Normally, the Emperor and Empress would sit there, but today, they were waiting as witnesses.
Due to the prisoner’s confession and a key testimony, the Emperor and Empress had been implicated as the masterminds behind the serial murders.
Naturally, they denied the accusations.
But denial alone did not erase their charges.
And so, I found myself sitting here alone.
Though the trial was important, the endless recitation of declarations, oaths to various gods, and the recounting of the case’s details was unbearably tedious.
I focused on maintaining a proper posture while letting my mind wander.
Then, at last, the awaited witness took the stand.
Caleus.
“To the witness, we ask: Are you certain that His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress—one or both—were behind these crimes?”
“I am certain.”
“On what grounds?”
“Because in the prison—”
Caleus turned his gaze toward his parents.
“—an Imperial Secret Knight attempted to assassinate the prisoner.”
The courtroom erupted in chaos.
The Chief Justice slammed his gavel.
“Order! Maintain order in the court!”
It took a while for the commotion to settle.
“What proof do you have that the assassin was a Secret Knight?”
“As you know, the Imperial Secret Knights are tasked with protecting the Emperor, Empress, and Crown Prince. Naturally, I am familiar with their faces. Furthermore, the assassin bore a distinctive scar on his finger—one I remember well.”
Another murmur swept through the courtroom.
With the prisoner’s confession and now this testimony, things were taking a decisive turn against the Emperor and Empress.
Sending the Secret Knights to silence someone?
That was evidence enough.
“As proof, we submit a page from the roster of the Imperial Secret Knights.”
The Imperial Secret Knights were, as the name implied, secretive.
Their identities were undisclosed, and their records were revealed only in exceptional circumstances.
The documents were passed to the judges.
One contained a sketch of the assassin Caleus had killed.
The other was a document confirming his membership in the Secret Knights.
No doubt they matched.
I glanced to the side.
Ateol sat nearby.
Sensing my gaze, he tilted his head slightly, meeting my eyes in midair.
His lips moved soundlessly.
“It’s over.”
His faint smile was irritating.
And just as he said, the trial was over.
The prisoner was sentenced to death.
The Emperor and Empress—while not immediately punished—were officially acknowledged as the orchestrators of the murders.
Every newspaper in the Empire would soon be plastered with the news.
Moreover, Caleus, taking responsibility for killing the assassin—who could have been a key witness—voluntarily abdicated his position as Crown Prince.
A shame.
This case could have been the perfect excuse to remove Caleus altogether.
Yet, he slipped away.
Because of him, things became easier—but dealing with him directly became more difficult.
Like cutting off a head, only for the head to devour the body and survive alone.
Not everything was settled yet, but only one matter remained: Ateol’s ascension to the throne.
The Second and Third Princes weren’t even worth considering.
They were nothing more than clueless, insignificant fools.
And Caleus—eager to protect his own neck—would now assist Ateol’s smooth succession.
Though who knew what he might plot behind the scenes?
As the trial concluded and the crowd dispersed, I waited for the courtroom to empty before stepping outside.
I had expected all the reporters to have left, but a few lingered, loitering nearby.
Standing in front of them was Ateol.
I signaled to Serta.
Bell quickly moved, bringing the carriage around.
If the reporters were watching—then I might as well make things clear.
* * *
