Chapter 47: False Accusation

Evan Orgus’s treasured sword, the Thunder Sword , was known to be the finest artifact, custom-made for him by the Aslan family who had mobilized master craftsmen and Spirit Masters when he reached 6-Star.

However, its name could never measure up to the legendary artifact that had been passed down as the symbol of the Trian family for hundreds of years, the Rock Wall Sword .

The skill of its wielder also differed greatly.

Ruuuumble.

CLANG!

The movements of Evan, a Corporeal Arts user specialized in speed, were so fast that I couldn't even see them now.

CRASH!

But Enoch Trian’s sword, blocking his path, was like a veritable iron fortress, flawlessly deflecting every attack.

A battle unfolded right before my eyes, an exchange of attacks so fast my senses could barely trace them, but I knew one thing for certain.

Count Enoch’s sword, true to its name, was standing firm like a rock wall, receiving all of Evan's lightning strikes.

Enoch Trian, known to have achieved a balanced evolution in all his abilities, was by no means slower than the Lightning Blade Sword.

That alone seemed to show how vast the difference was between the two men, who were both called 6-Star-level.

In the end.

“Are you really going to do this. Count!?”

Evan, stopped before that great wall, shouted in fury.

“Calm down. I cannot kill a genius knight and a 4-Class Spirit Master over a single administrator.”

The Count spoke with a firm expression and heartless words.

A scene where the value of human life was being weighed and measured by military power.

But it was a very natural calculation according to the laws of this world, governed by class and force.

However.

“Then how do you intend to hold them accountable for the crime of openly slaughtering an envoy!?”

From Evan’s, and the Aslan ducal family’s, perspective, they had a justification greater than that.

“I will personally investigate that crime……”

As the Count answered with a dark face, as if sighing.

“The body! Check the body’s face!”

Muno shouted, as if the thought had suddenly occurred to him.

The immense demonic energy had already vanished without a trace, but.

‘If that corpse is a substitute, the body shape might be similar, but the face will be different.’

However, that action, which drew everyone’s attention, only served to provoke an even greater backlash.

The knights of Aslan had to re-examine the pale face of Kallin, who had collapsed while vomiting blood.

“Are you insulting even the one you killed!”

“Have you ever seen such an outrageous scoundrel!”

“Commander!”

“Your Excellency, the Count! This cannot be overlooked!”

The knights of the Aslan formation began to erupt in anger, one by one.

But even in the midst of it all, the Count turned his head to Muno to confirm the truth.

“Muno, are you certain?”

“Yes. She left the body and disappeared. Damn it.”

“Proof?”

What was even more frustrating was that he couldn't find any trace of the magician who had been emitting enough demonic energy to cover the entire Inner Castle.

Where in the world could that much demonic energy have suddenly……?

“……It seems difficult for now.”

I felt like I was going to go crazy, but I couldn’t see a way to resolve the situation.

“Hah…….”

As the Count let out a heavy sigh.

“Strike down that bastard and the Spirit Master at once……”

Evan screamed, as if having a seizure, thinking this was his chance.

But.

“Let’s settle the insult your investigation team gave me first, and then we’ll talk about that.”

“……Pardon?”

“Shouldn’t we be clear about the order of events? Besides, Muno is a son of Drasen, not Trian, and the Spirit Master Rasmia has already voluntarily terminated her contract, so it has nothing to do with us Trian.”

The Count’s response was absurdly fast.

‘This old man……?’

So much so that Muno’s heart sank.

Naturally, the faces of Evan and the other Aslan knights went blank.

“What……”

“So, let’s first address the crime of you lot insulting me, and then we will address their crimes separately. I’ll hold them for now. Guards!”

“Yes!”

“Arrest and imprison Muno and Rasmia. However, treat them as noble prisoners of war. The duration will be until the full story of the incident is revealed.”

“Yes!”

Before anyone could say anything, Klarm and Robero rushed over first.

The other knights wore dumbfounded expressions at the sight of the Knight Commander and Vice-Commander moving on a simple command.

Soon, Evan erupted in a shout once more.

“You can’t do this!”

“And your impertinence is acceptable?”

The Count continued to press Evan Orgus, the Lightning Blade Sword, on his responsibility.

In the meantime, the two bandits……. no, the Trian Knight Commander, Robero, with his large eyes full of worry, approached Rasmia and bumped into Klarm.

“Ahem. I will take Miss Rasmia……”

“……Go ahead.”

“Brother!”

“Who’s going to eat you? Think about what you’ve done.”

“No, that’s……”

“I’m sorry.”

Receiving Rasmia’s sharp glare, Muno was at a loss for words.

But unexpectedly, Klarm reassured him with words he hadn't anticipated.

“Don’t worry so much. Even Aslan can’t demand your execution over the life of a single administrator.”

Should I feel fortunate that this is a world where human rights have been thrown to the dogs?

‘Fuck…….’

A sigh escaped, but I had to make one thing clear.

“That woman is not dead.”

“Right. I believe you. However, there’s no proof, so let’s first think about how to prove it.”

“Hah…….”

It was a situation that only brought forth sighs.

Even amidst that.

“Miss Rasmia, I will escort you.”

“I told you not to call me Miss! How old do you think I am!”

“But I can’t exactly call you Madam……”

“Just call me by my name!”

“I-Is that alright?”

“Aargh. Really, Commander! Don’t make that weird face just for calling my name. Back off a bit!”

The middle-aged man’s one-sided love was currently in progress.

‘What am I going to do.’

As if completely unaware of Muno’s burning frustration.

* * *

A silk bed in one corner, and a space with a separate toilet on the opposite side.

The ‘room’ Muno was guided to looked truly comfortable.

Except.

Screeeech.

Clank.

The door made of iron bars was firmly locked.

Jingle.

“Is this really necessary?”

And the fact that the shackles on his hands and feet were connected to the wall by long iron chains.

“I’m sorry, but it’s the rules.”

“Just bear with it for a little.”

Klarm spoke comforting words from beside the guard, but they didn’t register.

“……What happened?”

“His Excellency is still pressing the issue of the investigation team’s disrespect. He’s trying to pass off the administrator’s death as an accident. In a normal case, it’s an issue that could be settled with compensation, but the situation is strange right now.”

“I suppose so.”

The old knight, the Honorary Vice-Commander, had been identified as a Magic Knight and was murdered in Trian.

And because of that, before the party sent from Aslan could even begin their investigation, this time an administrator was murdered.

It was a difficult situation to smooth over with the forced accusation that the investigation team had insulted the Count.

“But don’t worry. His Excellency never abandons his own people. You’re not upset about what His Excellency said, are you? That was the best course of action in that situation……”

“I’m aware of that much.”

“……Right. So just rest. No matter how powerful Aslan is, they won’t be able to do anything more to you inside Trian.”

“Aslan isn’t the problem.”

“What?”

“The magician who disappeared. That woman will come after me.”

“Uh……?”

Seeing Klarm make a face as if he had just realized something, Muno could only give a bitter smile.

But Klarm was a knight of Trian, so it wasn’t unreasonable for him to focus on the crisis his family was facing.

“If it was simply for the sake of confusion between Aslan and Trian, it would have been better not to come……”

As he was about to state the obvious reasoning, his thoughts returned to the current reality.

“No, that’s not right. If they had the ability to create a situation like this……”

The initial assumption had to be erased.

Then was she really not targeting me, but truly came to maximize the chaos?

My mind just started getting more complicated.

“No, since you identified the magician, the prediction that they’ll target you is not without grounds. I’ll make sure to prepare thoroughly.”

“Ah…….”

Only after hearing Klarm’s words did I feel certain again.

‘She came knowing that I can see through demonic energy. It’s certain.’

The corpse that the female magician had left behind was identical not only in clothes but also in body shape and appearance.

If she had even made the face exactly the same, it wasn't a trick she pulled off with magic in an instant.

‘She prepared it in advance.’

On the other hand, I had been overconfident in the ability of the Demon Devourer.

Even a monster of a level I couldn't even guess had prepared so thoroughly, yet I had let my guard down, relying only on my ability.

In the end, that monster used magic to escape the crime scene without being detected by my senses at all.

And she left an innocent corpse in her place and even framed me.

This much was certain.

That bastard came knowing my ability.

“What is it?”

“……She will target me. For sure.”

“Yes. I said I understand. I’ll report to His Excellency and……”

“Can we set a trap here? A trap that can catch a 5-Circle, no, a 6-Circle magician?”

“……What?”

“Ordinary defenses won’t work. At the very least, you have to prepare to the extent that the old man, no, His Excellency himself acts as the guard!”

“You’re crazy. Make some sense, you punk!”

Klarm, who had been friendly all along, suddenly contorted his face and shouted.

And only after hearing that shout did Muno flinch.

The expression of the guard staring at me with blank eyes from beside Klarm was as if he were looking at a complete madman.

‘Tsk……. Damn it.’

I had made a rash demand in my haste, but having said it, I immediately realized how nonsensical it was.

“……Please assume a high-ranking magician will invade to capture me, and prepare as much as possible. I will also look for my own methods.”

“Hah…….”

Sighing again, Klarm looked at Muno’s now unwavering eyes, then bit his lip and gave a small nod.

“……Then for now, I’ll have Rasmia moved to the cell right next door. Reinforcing the guards is a given, of course.”

“Yes. Please.”

“However, as this is a serious matter, I won’t be able to come here often either. So if you need anything, tell Ron here.”

Seeing the guard bow his head immediately, Muno could only nod heavily.

“……I understand.”

Fortunately, that minimal measure was implemented quickly.

Not many hours after Klarm left, Rasmia was placed in the cell facing mine, with iron bars between us.

Guards were added, excluding the guard Ron and the luggage, and at least two or more knights began to be stationed at the entrance.

And a day, then two days passed.

Just as Muno was thinking that his worries had been excessive.

Something caught his senses.

‘Demonic energy!?’

The moment Muno’s eyes, which had been contemplating his own countermeasures, shot wide open.

“Hyaaam. Why am I so sleepy?”

“Stay awake. The shift change is still far……. Hyaaam. Oof. Me too……?”

“This is strange……”

Thud.

Suddenly, the guards and knights began to fall one after another as if falling asleep.

And.

“Magician!”

“As expected. Setting aside that wretched Spirit Master, to think my magic doesn’t work on a mere scrap of a knight. There's definitely something about you, Experiment. Right?”

Before Rasmia’s shout could even finish, a languid voice echoed from behind him.