Chapter : 153
To an uninformed observer, Jonathan Blanche acted so convincingly that one might think he was nothing less than a loyal minister born in an age of chaos.
But the Emperor was not so easily deceived.
That was because his unwavering trust in the people of the Archducal House of Acliff was deeply rooted in his mind.
“But what reason would Sebastian Acliff possibly have to do such a thing?”
The Emperor furrowed his brow until his face looked paper-thin, groaning softly as he sank into deep contemplation.
Of course, the fact that Sebastian had not tipped him off in advance about his return to the capital was a little—no, quite—irritating.
But the Emperor was not so ruled by emotion as to lose his reason over it.
Though utterly bewildered by the situation unfolding in the dead of night, he did his utmost to remain rational.
“Archduke Acliff served alongside the Crown Prince on the Peloz front for six years. He risked his life fighting for the Angelica Empire. Why would such a man now seek to turn the capital into a sea of flames?”
Grinding his teeth inwardly at the Emperor’s refusal to be swayed, Jonathan Blanche outwardly nodded along in agreement.
For now, he needed to placate him—guide him gently and pull him in the direction he wanted. Pretending to be impartial, as though personal feelings played no part, and feigning cool regret, he continued.
“Your words are most reasonable, Your Majesty. However, is it not difficult to find another explanation for this sudden incident?”
“But by that same logic, there is also no evidence that Archduke Acliff orchestrated this situation.”
The Emperor stared fixedly at Marquis Blanche.
The brief confusion that had crossed his face earlier had now completely vanished.
Still, Jonathan Blanche did not falter in the slightest.
Even when he had nothing in hand, the Marquis had long been adept at bluffing as though he did, negotiating boldly until he wrung exactly what he wanted from those who fell for it.
It was a method he had used for decades without a single failure. There was no doubt in his mind that it would work again.
“Perhaps my own judgment was lacking, and I may have overlooked something. Might Your Majesty have another cause in mind for this incident?”
“Hm. Well….”
The Emperor rubbed his chin and let out a low groan. It seemed he, too, could find no other convincing explanation.
I need to press on.
After taking a brief breath, Marquis Blanche spoke again without delay.
“To be honest, I did not wish to go this far… but I do have my suspicions.”
“Suspicions?”
One of the Emperor’s eyebrows rose.
“Yes, Your Majesty. And I also have a witness.”
As the Emperor lightly frowned—clearly signaling for him to continue—Jonathan Blanche suppressed his impatience and spoke once more.
“This is a shameful family matter, and speaking of it does nothing but harm me. I intended not to mention it. However, the safety of the nation outweighs such concerns, so I have resolved to speak.”
“Very well. Go on.”
“A few hours ago, the Archduke forcibly took my daughter, who had just returned to her maiden home after a long time.”
Jonathan Blanche deliberately stripped away the context and presented a sensational story reconstructed entirely to his advantage.
“The Archduke… forcibly?”
Even the Emperor seemed unable to believe it, his face still deeply creased as he muttered to himself.
Jonathan Blanche deliberately added in a subdued, murmuring tone.
“He must have done so to threaten me, I imagine….”
“What nonsense is this now?”
The Emperor’s wrinkled face tightened further.
In truth, he dearly wished for a calmer moment in which to think things through coolly and clearly.
But ever since the first tremor, the building had continued to shake, making that difficult.
On top of that, from outside the chamber came the unfiltered noise of servants bustling about, clearing shattered glass and the wrecked interior, only adding to the chaos.
Despite the irritation in the Emperor’s voice, the Marquis showed no sign of shrinking back.
“My household witnessed the scene. If you investigate, you will immediately see that I am not lying.”
“Hmph….”
“Your Majesty. Over the past six years, aside from the distribution of monster meat, there has not been a single sighting of a living monster in the capital. Surely no one knows this better than you.”
“That much is true.”
“And yet, at this precise moment, such an incident suddenly occurs. Do you not find that strange?”
The Emperor pressed his lips together.
The rigid trust he had held in the Archducal House of Acliff began, little by little, to show cracks.
Jonathan Blanche continued to whisper insidiously.
“This is undoubtedly connected to the Archduke’s return to the capital.”
“But this is not a matter that can be judged so simply—!”
“Your Majesty! It is precisely in situations like this that one must think simply. The more tangled a matter appears, the more often it has a surprisingly simple answer, does it not?”
“Hoo….”
The more he listened, the more persuasive the Marquis’s words sounded.
Revealing his conflicted emotions, the Emperor let out a long, heavy sigh.
Then he swallowed, even a groan caught in his throat.
“For now… very well. I will think on it further—”
But the Emperor’s words were cut short.
As if even the situation itself were aiding Jonathan Blanche, the gentle, continuous shaking suddenly intensified.
The chandelier hanging from the ceiling swayed violently. Though firmly secured by chains, it let out an ominous creaking sound, as though it might snap at any moment.
Tilting his head back to stare at it, the Emperor’s face drained of color.
With each grating sound, fear piled higher and higher.
Watching the Emperor grow more haggard by the second, Jonathan Blanche murmured softly.
“An Archduke like Acliff could have easily obtained items related to monsters while stationed on the Peloz front.”
“That is true, but….”
“Your Majesty. The Archduke is, in private, my son-in-law. What benefit would I or my family possibly gain from accusing such a man? Everything I have said here was spoken for one reason alone—my loyalty to the imperial family.”
The Emperor kept his lips firmly sealed and offered no reply.
But the Marquis could tell from the gravity settling over his expression that his words were no longer being dismissed lightly.
Now was the time to drive in the final nail.
“And if you still cannot trust my words, then how about borrowing the power of the Grand Temple?”
“The Grand Temple?”
“Yes. Dispatch the priests to Acliff’s townhouse. This is a matter that must be contained, no matter what.”
“Hm… I suppose so.”
The Emperor nodded absentmindedly, finding himself in agreement.
“If they are priests, they will be able to determine at once whether what surrounds the Archducal townhouse is demonic energy or not.”
“Hm.”
“If guilt is revealed, you may arrest him. And if not, then you can place him at the forefront once more to subjugate the monsters. In this capital, there is no one who understands monsters better or can deal with them more effectively than Sebastian Acliff.”
After maintaining silence for a few more moments, the Emperor finally nodded heavily, his face resolute.
“Indeed, that is sound reasoning.”
Having reached his decision, the Emperor summoned the chief attendant.
“Immediately send the Captain of the Imperial Guard to the Grand Temple and have them jointly surround the Acliff family’s townhouse!”
His stern orders continued without pause.
“And the moment Archduke Sebastian Acliff is found, bring him to the imperial palace at once!”
