325 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 325 "A princess of the Empire has been attacked!" "Could this lead to war!?" "Oh, come on. It's not like she was seriously hurt." "Still, it happened at our royal palace…" The debate in the capital became feverish in an instant. The princess of the world's most powerful nation, even if not the imperial princess in the direct line, had been attacked. Such an incident stoked fears of diplomatic strife with the Empire, or worse, military conflict. Yet, to emphasize, that was the worst-case scenario people envisioned. This apparent lack of severity left some people more perplexed than anything. [We demand a clear explanation for yesterday’s unfortunate incident.] Sigh. "What kind of nonsense is this…" It was a message of protest from the Eastern Palace of the Empire. As Logan read the report, he let out a deep sigh, his hands cradling his head in frustration. What on earth was that woman plotting? The inscrutable situation made his headache throb even more. "…Should we just be relieved she isn't a direct member of the imperial family?” "If the princess had died, the royal family would've made enormous demands." Called in urgently, Dwayne and Damian added their own comments in front of Logan. "The strange part is that the princess gains nothing from this incident." "And the Empire?" "Neither does the Empire, it seems. If the princess had been killed or seriously injured, maybe, but just a fright…" Damian had a puzzled expression, tilting his head slightly. Seeing him like that eased Logan's concerns a bit. At least he wasn’t alone in his inability to comprehend the situation. "There’s only one guess that comes to mind." "What?" "No sane person would invest effort in something they can’t gain from." "Unless they're crazy." "Exactly. Therefore, this wasn’t the work of the princess." "…So you’re saying it wasn’t a self-staged attack?" "As I mentioned, there’s nothing for her to gain. If she’d been hurt beyond recovery, maybe…" "She’s not the type to contrive a scheme that involves self-injury." "Those of royal lineage, like princes and princesses, don’t tend to do such things. Well, our rather spontaneous majesty is an exception… I mean he's courageous and decisive. It's a compliment, really. Ha. Ha." As Logan narrowed his eyes and glared, Damian quickly averted his gaze and defended himself. ‘This guy is really starting to overstep his bounds.’ Despite his annoyance, Logan couldn't dispute the validity of Damian's points. "Then?" "It suggests the involvement of a third party." "And yet, we can’t guess their motives." "Right. For an incident of this scale, sending some gifts to the Eastern Palace might be enough to settle it. Clearly, the third party wasn’t aiming for this outcome." "…They intended to kill the princess? Did they underestimate her?" “Yes.” "The manner of the attackers matches those who targeted me and the queen previously. So, it's the Empire. Of course, there's no evidence." "Then it would mean someone in the imperial family who would benefit if the princess died in our court." "Surely you don’t mean the Emperor…?" "No, not the Emperor." Logan firmly dismissed Dwayne's speculation. "If the intent was to use it as a pretext for war, they would’ve ensured capable assassins were sent after me. The Emperor’s plot would be grander." Recalling the Emperor’s piercing black eyes, Logan spoke with conviction. "Then…?" "Those who desire immediate conflict between the kingdom and the Empire. The fact these black serpent mages wanted to sever ties is too sloppy. Then..." The way Damian trailed off brought a wry smile to Logan’s face. "Though there's little evidence, one face comes to mind." "Weirdly, I feel the same." “Prince Baros.” "The second prince." Logan and Damian exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously. The person suspected of pulling strings behind various malicious schemes targeting the kingdom. And the same individual surrounded by unsavory rumors after vanishing only to reappear. In short, a power-broker with reasons to take reckless actions. "What troubles me is if the theory that the second prince returned safely by aligning with those entities is true. In that case, it makes no sense he’d be unaware of the princess’s capabilities. This went beyond betrayal—it was an utter blunder." “He might not know.” "Pardon?" "Those guys, the Kassel Tower mages, aren’t working with the Empire completely. They’re likely just using each other." Conversations with Louisa provided ample evidence to support this hypothesis. "Is the princess hiding her powers?" "Yes. If the second prince orchestrated this without knowing that…" “It might be something we can leverage.” With shared, knowing smiles, Damian and Logan looked at each other, leaving Dwayne, who observed bewilderedly, with no choice but to pout. * * * – To protect and deal with the assailants of Princess Louisa, many of the brave knights of Mclaine have made sacrifices. We express our condolences for this unexpected tragedy, while Count Ronian Mclaine takes great care of the shocked princess. The royal announcement quelled the wild rumors surrounding the princess's ambush. More precisely, the spread of one specific rumor soon drowned out all others, as it circulated as gospel truth. "It's said a noble from the Empire, smitten with the princess, committed the attack out of spite over failed marriage talks." "And Count Ronian heroically stood in their way." "In reality, they say the princess is nursing Count Ronian, who was gravely injured?" "Oh my, then…" "True love triumphs over any obstacle." "Wow…" A rumor so whimsically romantic it banished fears of diplomatic strife. Instead of anxiety, it bred a sentiment of warmth and affection. And strangely, this tale spread through the Empire’s eastern regions with incredible speed. "It's worked out well." Upon receiving the report on public sentiment, Logan chuckled, causing Damian, who was delivering the report, to smirk wryly. “Yes. Though contextually, if we're not cautious, Count Ronian may have to genuinely consider a marriage proposal." "They’ll refuse. Don't worry." "The person in question is quite troubled by the current situation." "Tell them to hold on. They were the ones who initially wanted the marriage talks anyway. With the public opinion shaped like this, it'll be hard for the Empire to nitpick." "The princess better not try anything else." "If she doesn't want rumors spreading that she took down all the assassins herself, she'll have to play along." For most people, a tale of romance is much more convincing than the royal and international intrigues that are beyond their grasp. The rumors sparked by Logan's words were serving their purpose brilliantly. "...You show remarkable cunning when it comes to these matters." "What was that?" "Oh, nothing. Anyway, as long as nothing unexpected arises, there won’t be any diplomatic issues." Watching Damian trying to deflect, Logan could only chuckle in amusement. However, Damian was unable to be so nonchalant. "So, about those, what did you call them, ghosts?" "Hmm?" "They seem to slip in and out of the royal palace far too easily. Shouldn't we take measures? Not everyone in the palace is a superhuman like Your Majesty." He wasn't wrong. But. "They're not the kind you can stop just by beefing up security." "That doesn't mean we can just do nothing." "That's true." "What?" The contradictory statements made Damian furrow his brow, while Logan flashed a mysterious smile. "Fortunately, we should soon have a measure to secure the palace to some extent." "Pardon?" "I don’t intend to keep letting those imperial bastards wander into my home as they please." Logan smiled, recalling the confidential report delivered alongside the rumors of the recent attack. – The theory for installing the Grand Magic Circle has been completed. The first experiment would likely take place at the royal palace. As Logan grinned at the memory of Clayton's report, someone else was grimacing bitterly. * * * [So, imperial ghosts, you say? The princess is a crucial piece in our strategy. Do you intend to interfere like this?] Bang. “Isn't it because you’ve failed to do your part properly!” Baros shouted his anger at the communicator. The three ghosts deployed for the operation were one of the final cards he had hoped to keep hidden. Ghosts capable of acting without the Emperor's permission. They should have completed their mission successfully. Or at the very least, they shouldn't have left any evidence behind. Instead, leaving bodies at the scene meant the Emperor’s scrutiny would soon return, something Baros dreaded. ‘I've fought hard to regain this position.’ How could things have gone so wrong that those apparitions couldn’t handle someone as harmless as Louisa? Two implausible scenarios became reality, wrecking the plan completely. It would have been better if they had done nothing at all. Naturally, his frustration was sky-high. However, the person on the other end of the communication didn’t seem to comprehend Baros’s distress. [I didn’t take you for someone so trivial. I’m disappointed, Prince.] "You’d judge me in this situation?" [Wouldn’t you? Claiming to aim for the throne, yet you're acting like an impatient child... There's a limit to such clumsy coordination, Prince. What’s the rush? There’s still plenty of time.] Grrr. The senior's indifferent gaze transmitted through the communicator forcibly quelled Baros’s agitation. It had been a while since he last saw Logan MacLaine’s red eyes, but that man’s stare was as unsettling as ever. The eerie vibe at their last encounter still occasionally haunted his dreams. He sensed some manipulation but found nothing. ‘Is that why I’m so unstable?’ Damn it. Thinking this way felt like making excuses for his failures, prompting Baros to grind his teeth unconsciously. ‘If this continues, it'll lead to another worst-case scenario.’ The realization of his own inadequacy brought him back to his senses. Taking a deep breath, Baros looked back at the communicator. "…I think I made a significant mistake this time. I apologize." The unexpected admission changed the old man's expression slightly. [Oh?] "But I shamelessly ask for another favor." [A favor?] "Due to the ones deployed recently, I’ll suffer losses again. In the worst case…" The horrifying possibility he refused to vocalize weighed on him. Fortunately, the senior seemed to comprehend the unspoken concern. [Show a result that compensates for this failure?] "Exactly." [...Not difficult. But I must receive an assurance. That you won’t proceed with such matters without notice in the future.] Baros bit his lip at the elder's demand. Having someone besides the Emperor issuing commands was an unbearable insult. But he had no other options. "…Understood." [Hmm, good. I'll trust you once more. Now then...] As the old man continued speaking, Baros found himself helplessly nodding. And sometime later. "Your Highness the Prince. His Majesty summons you." Baros accepted the anticipated summons with resignation.