Chapter 115

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 115

Chapter Title: Asphalo Castle

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Southeast of Baldina Royal Castle lay Asphalo Castle.

It was a city about a fortnight's ride from the royal castle.

Anyone heading to the royal castle had to pass through this fortress.

"Straighten out that line!"

"Hey, you there! No cutting!"

A long queue stretched out in front of the castle gates.

Especially this time, there were an unusual number of merchants loaded down with carts, setting off on their journeys.

"Where's your pass?"

At the gatekeeper's words, a robed merchant pulled a paper from his bosom.

The gatekeeper took the pass and immediately tilted his head.

"Huh? This stamp's fake."

The commotion drew the other gatekeepers over.

"Take a look at this. Do we look like idiots? A lord's seal from two months ago wouldn't be this crisp—gurgh!"

Before he could finish, a gleaming blade flashed toward him.

At the same time, the merchants shed their robes, revealing their true identities.

"Wipe them out!"

They drew their swords and charged at the oncoming guards.

"Rebellion! It's a rebellion! Alert the upper command!"

The gatekeeper shouted as he beat the drum.

The Baldina Royal Palace.

A sharp and solemn air hung over the hushed hall.

"Wh-what is the meaning of this? These are baseless accusations!"

The Queen Dowager, Medea, the high ministers, and even the Kazen delegation had all been summoned.

Standing at the center, surrounded by the crowd, was Jason.

He had lost all his boasted composure, his face a mask of panic and shock.

"Me, unleashing those beasts? How thorough was your investigation to grab an innocent man like this?!"

Not long ago, the knights who had finished investigating the royal hunting grounds returned and pointed to the culprit: none other than Kazen's Grand Duke, Jason Kastul.

Prime Minister Sise fixed a cold gaze on the space behind Jason.

At his signal, a royal knight dragged a man forward.

The middle-aged man in imperial attire dropped to his knees with a thud and bowed his head.

"Pl-please, spare me. I only did as Grand Duke commanded."

"What nonsense! I don't even know you!"

The gray-haired man lifted his head and stared at Jason. His face mirrored Jason's own incredulity.

"What are you talking about? You gave me the orders yourself. I went through hell smuggling those vicious beasts from Axel Peninsula all the way to Baldina on Your Grace's command, and now you pretend not to know me?"

"That's absurd. It wasn't me—it was—!"

Jason stared at the Fourth Imperial Princess in stunned disbelief.

"Jason, to commit such a cruel act. What on earth were you thinking?"

Angelique turned the tables, interrogating him with an innocent expression.

"Did you hope the Baldina princess would die and turn our kingdoms into mortal enemies? Or were you trying to put me, the delegation leader, in a bind?"

Jason's face drained of color. He glared at the witness as if to kill him, his voice a sinister threat.

"You scum! You know I'm not the real culprit, yet you fear no divine punishment?"

Sise then asked,

"It seems Your Grace knows the true perpetrator. Why not reveal them here and now? The knights are ready."

"......That's......"

At that moment, the Fourth Princess stepped forward to silence him.

"With evidence this clear, what's the point of more denials? It'll only tarnish Kazen's honor further."

She had long since branded Jason an enemy.

"See what my brother did to Baldina's princess."

The stack of dozens of papers she held brimmed with fabricated evidence.

'Jason, you dared to toy with me. No matter what, I won't let things go your way.'

Jason finally pieced it together.

All the evidence she presented was what he himself had hidden to grasp her weakness.

He had no idea Medea had intervened midway, redirecting Angelique's suspicions toward him.

So he assumed this frame-up was Angelique's revenge for learning his schemes.

'Damn it, so that's where the evidence went missing! How did she find out? How did Angelique learn of it?'

If he had the evidence, it would be different, but with none on hand, openly accusing the Fourth Princess now was far too risky.

The hot-tempered, vicious princess was no easy foe.

He had avoided direct confrontation from the start, biding his time to topple her from the shadows.

Caught unprepared in her trap, Jason stood no chance against her.

"Count Kensington, you know the truth, don't you? That I didn't do it!"

Jason desperately scanned the room and pleaded with the count standing nearby.

Kensington stared back with an impassive face, saying nothing.

'Separate from the Fourth Princess's pathetic blunder, it's better if the Grand Duke falls here. His ambitions would only sow chaos in Kazen.'

Even after an unofficial imperial order to return home, the Grand Duke lingered—clearly because he still sought gains in Baldina.

At the same time, he couldn't hide his admiration and shock. Kensington's eyes flicked briefly to Medea.

'Was the Baldina princess targeting all three I suspected?'

Meanwhile, with even trusted Count Kensington turning away, Jason felt like he was going mad.

Escaping this massive snare was nearly impossible, and not a soul from the Kazen delegation stepped up for him.

"Grand Duke Kastul, what thick skin you have! How can you still face Her Highness?!"

Unable to contain his rage, Count Montega bellowed, and Jason unwittingly turned to Medea.

'No way she believes it too? That I tried to kill her? Is that why she's pushed me away so coldly all this time?'

"N-no, Princess. It's a lie."

Desperation colored his flushed face as he proclaimed his innocence.

He had truly tried to protect her.

He had prepared to rescue her from the wolves at great risk, and afterward, he had searched for her desperately.

Even if everything else had gone wrong from the start, he hoped she alone would recognize his efforts.

"It's not true, Princess. Surely you don't believe it? That I would ever try to harm you......"

Jason gazed at Medea with pleading eyes.

'If only the princess believes me. Then there's still a chance.'

But Medea merely looked down at him, crushing his hope. No emotion showed in her eyes. Jason panicked.

"Grand Duke Kastul, you're poor at lying."

Her calm voice—disappointment? Anger? He couldn't tell.

He only realized another thick wall had risen atop the curtain between them.

'Am I doomed to be pushed away by this woman, never once reaching her?'

Medea, the princess—her presence slipped through his fingers like sand.

Meanwhile, the Queen Dowager made no effort to hide her displeasure.

'Not the Fourth Princess, but the Grand Duke... I misjudged him badly.'

The Grand Duke had stepped up for Medea both in the duel and at the hunting grounds.

Apart from being Kazen, his character seemed righteous and upright. For a moment, she had even thought him a fine match for Medea.

'To have such a greater villain right under my nose and not notice.'

Relief washed over her chest, matched by surging fury.

How could every Kazen be so sly?

The gazes of the other Baldinans mirrored the Queen Dowager's.

"You never know what's in a man's heart till you cut it open. All that talk of justice and concern was just hypocrisy while plotting against our princess!"

"Kastul, that insidious cruelty must come from his father! He's Baldina's enemy!"

Jason had exposed his true colors.

Sensing the atmosphere shift in an instant, Jason grew frantic.

"I-I can explain everything. This is a plot to frame me. Wise Queen Dowager of Baldina—"

"Grand Duke Kastul."

At that moment, a heavy voice rang out, as if suppressing great anger.

"This old woman has eyes and ears enough. No need for explanations."

The Queen Dowager spat coldly and turned her back.

"I won't say much. From this day, I wish never to lay eyes on you again."

She had no intention of enduring more of his oily excuses, as slick as his handsome face.

If she could, she'd lash him herself right then—but he was Kazen's Grand Duke.

Even as Queen Dowager, she couldn't vent her rage and ignite a greater fire.

"Leave Baldina. This palace is too cramped to shelter wolves aiming for my back as well."

"Your Majesty, the Queen Dowager!"

Jason froze mid-plea, as if struck by lightning. Chased out like a stray dog in the street?!

"I will lodge a formal protest with the Empire, Grand Duke Kastul. Regardless of Her Majesty's command, you will answer for this."

Sise said dryly to Jason.