Emperor of Steel [EN]: Chapter 35

6. The Winds of Change in the Imperial Capital

1

A month had passed since the war with the Volga Republic ended.

During that month, the Tolude Fortress was a hive of activity, clearing the battlefield and repairing the fortress.

“We’ve recovered a total of 78 enemy Gigants [large humanoid war machines] and 125 cannons from the river. We’ve also collected 5,892 swords and spears, and 36,201 usable military supplies, including uniforms,” Alex reported. Luke looked very satisfied.

Capturing 78 Gigants alone was a huge victory.

The reason they were able to capture so many was largely because the Gigants were heavy and, instead of being swept away by the flood, they were buried in the mud.

However, in the process, sand and foreign substances had infiltrated delicate devices such as joints and core engines, so they needed to be thoroughly cleaned before they could be used.

“It’ll be a lot of work, but tell the Iron Mages of the Gigant Corps to clean them up thoroughly.”

“…….”

Luke looked at Erewine next to him and spoke, but she didn’t answer, as if she was lost in thought.

“Hey, are you listening, Erewine?”

Luke called out in a louder voice, and only then did she seem to snap back to reality, startled.

“Ah… what did you just say?”

“I said to tell the Iron Mages to thoroughly clean the captured Gigants. There will be a lot of work, so you should go and help too.”

“Okay.”

Erewine nodded and left Luke’s office, heading towards the Gigant Corps.

However, even after arriving at the Gigant Corps, she was so preoccupied that she walked right past it.

‘Seimon… is it really true and not a lie?’

Erewine recalled what had happened two weeks ago.

The Meister [master] of the Dark Moon had come to visit, and the story she had heard then had not left her mind.

Luke had asked to speak alone, so she had moved far enough away that she couldn’t hear the conversation.

Even the elves with keen ears couldn’t eavesdrop from that distance, but Erewine, who had much better hearing than her kin since birth, had unintentionally overheard their conversation.

However, the story was so absurd that she couldn’t believe it.

The problem was that Yohas had accepted it!

He had knelt before Luke, who had revealed himself to be Seimon, and bowed his head endlessly.

It was hard to believe, knowing how proud and even arrogant he usually was.

“Ahaha, it must be because Meister recognized Lord Luke as the founder of the Magic Tower,” Lav explained, noticing her gaze.

Phillip seemed to understand, but she was still confused after hearing their conversation.

‘Lord Luke is definitely someone with extraordinary inspiration. But Seimon being reincarnated… should I believe it?’

Because of this, she had not been able to concentrate properly on work or other matters for the past two weeks, and she had not been able to sleep properly either.

‘Could it be related to what my teacher said was strange?’

Last time, Erenes had said that the star that had fallen 500 years ago had risen again.

Could that star that had risen again be Seimon, the current Luke?

As she was thinking, a flame suddenly flashed before Erewine’s eyes.

Bang—!

“Ouch!”

“Ugh…”

With the sound of something breaking, Erewine and Anna sat down on the floor, rubbing their heads.

Erewine, who came to her senses first, raised her voice at Anna.

“Where is your mind!”

“I-I’m sorry.”

With the war over, Anna was so excited at the thought of asking Luke for a date disguised as personal training that she walked without looking ahead.

Embarrassed, Anna apologized repeatedly and quickly disappeared to the other side.

Erewine sighed at the sight.

Come to think of it, she was the one who had been walking with her mind elsewhere.

While Erewine went to the Gigant Corps, Luke was grinning as he looked at the report that Alex had left earlier.

“Hehehe, I should keep a few of the captured Gigants to show off to the Emperor and then take the rest.”

To do that, manipulating the books and coordinating the stories was essential.

For now, he decided to tell Alex and the other subordinates later and started writing new documents.

‘I feel like a corrupt official committing corruption.’

Luke felt uneasy, but he quickly shook it off.

After all, his goal was to overthrow the Baroque Imperial Family.

He thought that he could commit this much corruption if it was to ruin the Empire.

As he was manipulating the documents, Phillip came into the office with a knock.

“What’s going on?”

“There are a lot of letters for you, Lord. It seems they’ve piled up, and most of them were sent by Princess Reina.”

At Phillip’s words, Luke jumped up from his seat.

He had been so busy with the war and the post-war cleanup that he had forgotten to send letters to the territory.

And it seemed that she had sent a lot in the meantime.

Luke quickly took the letters and looked at the contents.

Most of the letters Reina sent were about her worries about the war and asking about Luke’s well-being. But recently, there were other things as well.

‘Hans created an intelligence organization to gather information? Yes, that’s what he should be doing.’

When he was stuck in a rural territory, he didn’t need an intelligence organization. If he was curious about something, he could just go to the information guild and pay for it.

However, as the territory grew and he had to fight against the Imperial Family, a reliable intelligence organization was essential.

‘And let’s see… Erenes came to the territory?!’

Luke was surprised as he turned the page and read.

He had pretended to know the Dark Elves who had tried to kidnap Reina before, but he didn’t expect Erenes to actually come.

‘Because of the Tears of the Earth? This is what Erewine said last time… was that the mysterious power that Reina felt?’

But what bothered him more was Erenes’s health, which was written in the letter.

500 years was by no means a short time, but he wondered why a High Elf with an extraordinary lifespan was injured.

‘I should send a reply right away. And I need to give separate instructions for what to send to Yohas.’

Last time, when Yohas came and bowed down, Luke had given him some of his secrets that the current Dark Moon Magic Tower didn’t know.

And he promised to copy and hand over the design of the Gigant Atlas that was being researched at the Katarina Magic Tower.

Since it would take time for the newly established Katarina Magic Tower to research the design and achieve results, he decided to entrust it to the Dark Moon.

He had heard that the Dark Moon was also making Gigants.

After organizing the letters sent by Reina, the last thing that came out was an order from the Imperial Family.

Luke frowned and opened the envelope to look at the order.

“What does it say?”

At Phillip’s question, Luke made a dumbfounded expression.

“They’re telling me to come to the Imperial Capital with the captured enemy flags and weapons. And to attend the Imperial Council to explain the battle process, and to participate in the victory parade held in Nemesis Central Square?”

Luke didn’t know, but after the war with the Republic, the Baroque Empire was suffering from political strife.

The aristocratic factions, which had only been playing a check-and-balance role due to their weak power and justification, were fiercely attacking the Emperor for the responsibility of the defeat.

In response, the Emperor’s faction argued that this war was not a defeat but a victory.

As evidence, they cited that they had not only driven the enemies out of the Empire but also advanced into the Republic’s territory and destroyed several fortresses.

“Hmph! When they were trying to kill me and abandon me, now they want me to participate in the victory parade?”

He wanted to scoff at the Emperor who had issued the order.

However, if the Emperor was in such a political corner that he had to use his achievements, he thought that he could use this to his advantage.

“What are you going to do?”

“I have to go. I have to go and see how pathetic things are going on, don’t I?”

Phillip chuckled at Luke’s words.

“Then I will prepare, knowing that.”

“Good work.”

After sending Phillip out, Luke wrote a reply to Reina.

Luke, who wanted to let her know that he was safe as soon as possible to ease her mind, called the demon Sebastian.

“Did you call me, Master?”

“Deliver this letter to Princess Reina in Lamere City. With your flying ability, you should be able to get there in a day.”

“Tsk, Lamere is quite far from here…”

Sebastian, who was grumbling slightly, quickly spread his black wings from his back and flew south when Luke glared at him sharply.

After finishing that, Luke attended the military meeting held in the afternoon.

However, the knights who attended the meeting were quite excited.

“Your Excellency, I heard that you were invited to the victory parade in the Imperial Capital?”

“Did Phillip tell you?”

“Yes, if you need an escort, please take me with you!”

“No, please choose me. I can do well!”

“Do well, my ass, you’re not even an expert!”

The subordinate knights were all clamoring for him to take them with him.

Luke wanted to take them all with him, but he couldn’t take them all because they had to protect the fortress.

“Don’t fight, let’s draw lots fairly.”

As a result of the drawing, Anna and Alex were the lucky ones to go to the Imperial Capital.

‘Oh, thank you, God!’

Anna jumped up and down on the spot, delighted.

She firmly believed that this luck was God’s consideration to connect her with Luke.

‘Hehe, when I go to the Imperial Capital, I’m going to get him to put a stamp on it [a metaphor for getting his approval or affection].’

Anna, who was having such audacious thoughts, had no idea that she would meet a formidable enemy in the Imperial Capital.

2

Central Square of Nemesis, the Imperial Capital of the Baroque Empire.

Only the statue of the first Emperor, Carno de Baroque, stood tall here, but recently, a unique sight had appeared.

“Is that the Republic’s flag?”

“Heh heh, when I was serving at the border, I saw it from afar, but now I’m seeing it right up close like this.”

In the central square, a large display of the Republic’s military flags and weapons captured by Luke was set up.

Among them, the ten Gigantes [large humanoid war machines] were the most eye-catching.

The Republic’s Gigantes, with their distinctive dark green paint, were kneeling with their heads bowed, as if they were prisoners.

However, not all Gigantes were in this position.

Some were painted in bright, colorful patterns like a clown’s outfit, and they were carrying people on their hands and shoulders, circling the square.

These clown Gigantes were explosively popular with the children.

“Sir Knight, please let me ride too.”

“Me first! I’ve been waiting longer!”

“No! I’ve been waiting longer!”

Luke, riding the clown Gigante, frowned at the children’s clamor.

He couldn’t blame the kids for being kids, but he didn’t like the Emperor who made him do such childish things.

Luke, who had arrived in Nemesis the day before yesterday, had handed over the spoils of war he had captured to the Imperial Palace.

Then, as if they had been waiting for him to come, the Imperial Palace displayed the spoils he had brought in the central square as evidence of ‘victory’.

Furthermore, they created an amusing spectacle of riding the Gigantes of the enemy country, drawing people’s attention.

‘Seriously, they’re really pushing it…’

The northern part of the Empire was devastated, and the Northern Army suffered such a great blow that it was almost impossible to recover.

Because of this, the Emperor was receiving a lot of criticism from the noble faction.

They had needlessly provoked the enemy into military action, and instead of gaining anything, they had suffered a crushing defeat, so the backlash was inevitable.

In the Imperial Council, there were daily calls to reduce the Emperor’s authority, and in response, the Emperor’s faction of nobles insisted that this war was a victory, not a defeat.

The evidence they presented was the victory at the Tolud Fortress.

They argued that they had wiped out 60,000 ‘elite’ Republic soldiers with their own hands and then crossed the border to destroy seven enemy fortresses, so how could this be a defeat?

At the same time, the Emperor’s faction of nobles massively promoted ‘War Hero Luke’ to the people in order to make the victory a fait accompli [an accomplished fact].

The Emperor’s faction’s response was so quick that even before Luke arrived in Nemesis, portraits of him and victory paintings depicting his battle scenes were being distributed.

Of course, because they were made in such a hurry, the portrait looked more like the warrior Rakan than Luke, and the victory paintings were also drawn arbitrarily without knowing the actual situation.

‘Anyway, the conflict between the Emperor’s faction and the noble faction is more extreme than I thought. Well, it’s probably because the northern territories, which are the Emperor’s faction’s stronghold, have been destroyed…’

Due to the collapse of the north, the Emperor’s faction and the noble faction had become similar in power.

Because of this, the noble faction was trying to reverse the power structure, and the Emperor’s faction was trying to maintain its advantage by any means possible.

‘Anyway, what I’m looking forward to is the distribution of rewards after the victory parade…’

Until now, when a war with a foreign power broke out, the Empire had always distributed rewards to the participants after the victory parade.

In this war, Luke had made the greatest contribution, so even the Emperor, who was wary of his family, could not help but give him a great reward.

If they wanted to claim a defeat as a victory, they could never mistreat a war hero.

“Viscount, you must be tired? I’ll drive the Gigante from now on.”

“Will you?”

At Anna’s words, Luke smiled and got out of the cockpit.

Anna, who had replaced Luke and boarded the clown Gigante, took a step forward with children on her hands and shoulders.

Thump, thump, thump!

“Wow, the Gigante is moving!”

“Run, run!”

The children on the Gigante shouted excitedly, and the children who couldn’t ride followed behind like chicks chasing a hen.

Luke looked at the mischievous children with a disgusted expression.

“Hoo, I didn’t know that dealing with children would be harder than dealing with 60,000 enemy soldiers.”

“Hehehe, but aren’t they cute?”

Alex smiled beside him.

Unexpectedly, he liked children quite a bit. Even when the children bombarded him with questions, he answered them kindly one by one, and he even won their favor by handing out snacks and candy.

“By the way, what’s the situation with the nobles?”

Luke asked, as if he had suddenly remembered.

Alex’s father was a bureaucrat noble in the Imperial Capital, so he had a wide network and was well-informed about the political world.

So Luke had requested information separately, and as soon as Alex arrived in the Imperial Capital, he went to his father and asked him in detail about the situation in the Imperial Capital.

“According to my father, the noble faction is currently preparing for the war hearing that will be held in the Imperial Council in five days.”

The noble faction, which had initially been enthusiastically pushing the Emperor’s faction, was pushed back by the Emperor’s faction’s public opinion campaign, and now they were preparing a huge counterattack, led by Marquis Cabanel.

“Marquis Cabanel?”

“He is one of the three leaders who lead the noble faction, along with Duke Butler and Marquis Myers. He is said to be so eloquent that he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Justice during the reign of the previous Emperor.”

His cold-blooded intellect and excellent eloquence greatly contributed to his self-made success, to the point where he became a pillar of the noble faction despite being from a fallen noble family.

“Hmm, if such a person has come to the fore, they won’t just let the war hearing pass.”

“It seems like a storm is coming.”

If the noble faction was determined to attack, it would be more than just a storm.

“Well, I’d be grateful if they fought among themselves. More importantly, what is Erewyn doing now?”

“It seems like she’s been in her room all day, but I don’t know what she’s doing.”

“Is that so?”

Erewyn had ignored Luke’s instructions to stay in the fortress and had stubbornly followed him all the way to Nemesis.

But on the first day of her arrival, she had a magical communication with someone, and her face was filled with worry.

It seemed like something bad had happened, but it was hard to ask her about it, so he had just left her alone.

“Just in case, keep a close eye on her so she doesn’t cause any trouble. There will be quite a few mages in the Imperial Capital who recognize her face.”

She was the one who had created the artificial magic stone 100 years ago, causing a stir in the magic world.

Although a lot of time had passed, she had occasionally appeared in the world, so there would definitely be some mages with good memories who remembered her face.

Especially since there are five headquarters or branches of the Ten Great Magic Towers in this Imperial Capital.

‘I need to be careful because if I get involved, I’ll get tired too.’

Thinking that, Luke forced a smile and approached the people who were lining up to get his autograph again.

Unfortunately, he had to continue doing this until the day of the victory parade.

3

After a grueling struggle(?), Luke returned to his lodgings and saw a pile of invitations.

They were sent by people who called themselves counts or lords, and they said that they were holding a banquet at their family’s residence and asked him to attend and grace the occasion.

Luke glanced at a few of them and threw them all into the trash can.

He had no time to go to banquets or parties, and he had no desire to interact with them at all.

Seeing Luke’s actions, Philip spoke up.

“Wouldn’t it be better to take some time to attend a few of the families? If you make allies from now on, even for the future…”

“I know what you mean, but it’s only going to be a loss for me if I go out now. Why do you think they’re courting me like this after ignoring me and treating me like an outcast in the past? Whether it’s the noble faction or the Emperor’s faction, they’re clearly trying to use me.”

The power of both sides was currently in a delicate balance.

Because of this, they were desperately trying to recruit those with power and reputation.

Moreover, Luke had no intention of siding with the noble faction just because he was at odds with the Emperor’s faction.

Even though he was currently at odds with the Emperor, it was their ancestors who had colluded with the Baroque family in the past to fight against him, who was called the Demon King, and to oppress the fairies.

“Anyway, I’m tired, so I’m going to rest early, so call me if you get any important news.”

“Understood. Then, please rest well.”

Philip bowed his head and went straight to his room.

After Philip left, Luke went out to the terrace and looked at the scenery outside.

“What a great night view. It’s like a star-filled paradise has unfolded on the ground.”

The lodging where Luke and his party were staying was a top-class hotel that the Imperial Palace had arranged for them.

It was a place where foreign envoys and high-ranking nobles from the provinces stayed, so the facilities and the view were exceptional.

‘There must be quite a few people struggling in pain in the darkness of that beautiful night view. Where there is light, there is bound to be darkness…’

Luke, who was looking at the night view with a bitter gaze, returned to his room.

However, he frowned slightly at the unfamiliar presence that he had not been able to sense a moment ago.

“Who is it? If you have business, show yourself openly.”

He didn’t feel any hostility from the person who was hiding.

If he had felt hostility, he would have drawn his sword immediately.

At Luke’s cold shout, a sleek-looking man in his late thirties appeared from behind the furniture.

“Are you Viscount Luke de Rakan?”

“Yes, who are you?”

Despite Luke’s wary answer, the other man smiled and greeted him gracefully.

“I am Baron Manuel, the chief steward of the Cabanel Marquis family.”

“Why did you sneak into someone else’s room like a thief?”

At Luke’s question, Manuel looked him straight in the eye and said,

“I am here on the orders of Marquis Cabanel to make a proposal to Viscount Luke. I am confident that it will not be a loss for you.”

“Is that so? Then I’ll listen to it for now.”

Luke had also heard what Alex had said during the day, so he decided to listen to what kind of proposal he had.

When he gave his permission, Manuel smiled his characteristic greasy smile and told him the Marquis’s proposal.

“On the day before the victory parade, at the war hearing held in the Imperial Council, all you have to do is announce that this war was a defeat, not a victory.”

If Luke, who had been praised as a war hero by the Emperor’s faction, said just one word, it would be possible to reverse the public opinion that was slowly beginning to lean towards the Emperor’s faction.

‘They said they were going to make a big counterattack, but they were planning to do it by coaxing me?’

Luke, who was inwardly sneering, pretended to be interested and spoke.

“What do I get if I declare a defeat?”

“We will push for you to be promoted to Count on our side. And we will hand over the territory north of the Neir River.”

The Barony of Powell, which belonged to the noble faction, was located north of the Neir River.

The Barony of Powell was a small territory, but it was very important because it was located on the way to the Imperial Capital, Nemesis.

If the Rakan family were to fight against the Imperial Palace, it would be one of the first bridgeheads they would have to occupy.

‘The Marquis said that the Rakan family is a beast that hides its claws. He said that they are bowing their heads now because they are weak, but as soon as they gain power, they will bare their teeth at the Imperial Palace.’

That’s why he thought that Luke would never refuse this offer.

Here, he drove in the wedge.

“And if a dispute arises with the Imperial Palace in the future, our noble faction promises to remain neutral.”

If the noble faction, which was a major pillar of the Empire’s power, declared neutrality, it would greatly reduce the burden on Luke.

However, at the same time, Luke also saw through Marquis Cabanel’s intentions.

‘They’re going to sit back and profit while we fight with the Imperial Palace, huh?’

If the Rakan viscount family were to challenge the Imperial Palace, the noble faction would gain an advantage.

After listening to Baron Manuel’s proposition, Luke feigned contemplation before speaking.

‘Could you grant me some time to consider this?’

‘I shall return at this time in two days,’ Baron Manuel replied, before quietly departing.

‘What?! Marquis Cabanel sent a subordinate to Viscount Rakan?’

‘Yes, Your Majesty. It appears they are plotting something.’

Count Voltaire, having requested a late-night audience, delivered the surprising news.

Emperor Rudolf, emerging from his bedchamber, wore an expression of annoyance.

‘That Cabanel! I thought he was being unusually quiet, but he was scheming behind my back. So, what is their plan?’

‘Perhaps we should seize this opportunity to eliminate Marquis Cabanel?’

Duke Butler, a Sword Master of the highest caliber and a symbol of the noble faction’s military might, along with Marquis Meister, who commanded the largest force in the south, and Marquis Cabanel, the intellectual and eloquent leader of the noble faction.

Cabanel was stationed in the Imperial Capital, constantly monitoring the Emperor and his faction’s movements. They believed eliminating him now would be advantageous.

‘If he were to die suddenly, the noble faction would not remain passive, would they?’

‘Even so, they can’t take action without proof.’

In truth, Rudolf wished he could be rid of all the nobles.

However, eliminating all of them, who controlled a third of the Empire, would result in significant bloodshed.

Such an act would weaken the Empire’s national power.

Therefore, despite their constant opposition, he had been holding back.

But this time, the nobles had gone too far.

The country had suffered greatly from the war, and instead of aiding in its recovery, they dared to undermine his authority!

‘Very well, I authorize it. But are you certain you can do this without leaving any trace?’

At Rudolf’s question, Voltaire responded confidently.

‘There is a member of Hydra [a secret assassination organization] who has recently reached the level of Assassin Master. He will be able to eliminate Marquis Cabanel without leaving any evidence.’

In addition to the Imperial Knights and the Imperial Magic Tower, the Imperial Family secretly maintained several organizations.

Among them was ‘Hydra,’ an elite group of assassins, and it seemed an Assassin Master had recently emerged from their ranks.

‘Hmm, an Assassin Master, you say…’

The security surrounding a great noble like a marquis was not to be taken lightly.

Skilled knights and mages were always stationed around him, making it difficult to breach their defenses and assassinate the marquis.

However, an Assassin Master was a different matter entirely.

An Assassin Master, having reached the pinnacle of assassination, was comparable to a Sword Master or a Spear Master.

A skilled individual of that caliber could assassinate even a Sword Master without leaving a trace, or even make it appear as a natural death.

‘Then I shall entrust this to you.’

Rudolf, with a brightening expression, asked as if he had suddenly remembered something.

‘But what should we do about Luke?’

‘Although he was contacted by Marquis Cabanel’s subordinate, there is no proof that he has been bought by them. Therefore, we should summon him, praise his accomplishments, and attempt to win him over as much as possible.’

‘Do you believe he will trust my words?’

‘It matters not whether he believes them. We simply need to ensure he does not align with the nobles until this political conflict is resolved.’

‘Then, I will summon him soon.’

After that, the two lords and vassals spoke further before parting ways.

4

Two days later, Baron Manuel visited the lodging again.

Luke decided to accept Marquis Cabanel’s offer.

He had no desire to be a pawn in the conflict between the noble faction and the Emperor’s faction, but he believed he could use the situation to his advantage.

‘If my words fuel the noble faction’s political offensive, Emperor Rudolf is likely to resort to military action to protect his imperial power.’

Luke would not participate in that conflict; he would focus on increasing his own strength.

Then, when the two sides had exhausted themselves in their struggle, he would finally step forward and take his revenge.

Unaware of Luke’s true intentions, Baron Manuel smiled with delight.

‘Hahaha, you have made a wise decision. The Marquis will be hosting a banquet tomorrow, so please attend and grace the occasion.’

‘It wouldn’t be wise to be too conspicuous beforehand…’

‘There’s no need to worry. It’s a masquerade ball. You can attend discreetly.’

Baron Manuel handed over an invitation and a fancy butterfly-shaped mask with gold plating before disappearing.

The next afternoon, as Luke was preparing to attend the banquet, Anna rushed to him in a panic.

‘It’s a disaster, a disaster!’

‘What’s wrong?’

Philip, who was attending to Luke, asked with a frown.

Anna possessed talent in swordsmanship and was diligent in her training, making her a person who was gaining considerable attention.

However, she had one flaw.

Her words and actions were somewhat frivolous, and her concentration would often waver.

Today, as usual, she had gone out to explore the Imperial Capital and was now making a fuss about some rumor she had heard.

‘Prepare yourself for this. Marquis Cabanel died at his mansion this morning!’

‘What?!’

Luke looked at her in surprise.

At his urging gaze, Anna quickly continued.

‘He didn’t wake up this morning, so a servant went in and found him dead in bed, as if he were simply sleeping.’

They would need to examine the body thoroughly to be certain, but it was likely to be ruled as a natural death. This was because Marquis Cabanel, who had a weak constitution, had been suffering from heart disease.

However, Luke’s thoughts were different.

Two days ago, after Manuel’s departure, he had used Alex’s information network to gather information about Marquis Cabanel.

He was old and had heart disease, but he was a very active and progressive individual. He was energetic enough to send a subordinate to collaborate with Luke.

But such a person dies in his sleep?

And at such a coincidental time?

Luke quickly sent Philip to the information guild, while also relying on Alex’s family’s information network once again.

After checking with both sources, he was able to learn more details.

‘Currently, the noble faction is in an uproar over the sudden death of Marquis Cabanel.’

The nobles in the Imperial Capital were gathering at the Marquis’s mansion, and an examination was being conducted in their presence.

Just in case it was an assassination.

However, after several thorough examinations, no signs of foul play were found.

The cause of death was determined to be a heart attack.

It was a condition that could occur at any time for Marquis Cabanel, who had been suffering from heart disease.

As a result, the noble faction was in chaos.

The Marquis’s death was a tragedy, but the most reliable figure had disappeared before the war hearing.

‘Was it truly a natural death?’

Luke, harboring doubts, decided to investigate the cause of death himself. He felt he needed to do so to be at ease.

He instructed his group to wait at the lodging and secretly infiltrated the inner city where Marquis Cabanel’s mansion was located.

Late at night, Marquis Cabanel’s mansion was quite crowded.

The banquet that was originally scheduled to be held at the mansion was canceled, but due to Marquis Cabanel’s death, the nobles of the noble faction in the Imperial Capital had gathered in large numbers.

However, their presence did not prevent Luke from infiltrating.

By using Reflect magic and Dark Invisibility magic effectively, he was able to enter the room where the Marquis’s body was without much difficulty.

The Marquis’s face, resting in a lavish coffin, appeared as peaceful as if he had simply fallen asleep.

His expression was not one he would have had if he had been murdered.

Luke approached the coffin and carefully scanned the Marquis’s body.

He checked for signs of poisoning or magic of an unknown origin, but found nothing of the sort.

‘Famous priests and mages would have examined it, so if there was anything like that, it would have been discovered already.’

Just as he was about to give up and turn away after scanning the Marquis’s body with magic, he sensed a strange energy emanating from the dead Marquis’s heart.

It was a dark and ominous energy, moving slowly, as if a larva were awakening from sleep.

Luke seemed to have encountered this before.

‘What on earth is this? This energy is similar to the one that resided in the stomach of the demon I summoned about 500 years ago… Ah!’

He finally remembered.

The thing he detected in the heart was a ‘Round Worm,’ an insect from the demon realm.

It was a rare creature even in the demon realm, and it had the habit of burrowing into the host’s heart and gnawing at it from the inside.

Naturally, the damaged heart would malfunction, leading to the host’s death, but the problem was that it would appear to be a simple heart attack from the outside.

At the time, Luke had experimented with the Round Worm he had extracted from the heart of the demon he had defeated out of curiosity, and as a result, he had learned its characteristics.

‘This confirms that the Marquis was murdered.’

The Round Worm is not a creature that is naturally transmitted. Someone must have obtained a creature summoned from the demon realm and orchestrated the incident.

‘Is there a black mage within the Imperial Family or the Emperor’s faction?’

In any case, Luke, having confirmed that it was an assassination and not a natural death, left the room where the body was placed.

It would be problematic if he stayed too long and was discovered.

But just as he was about to leave the mansion, he overheard the murmurs of a few people among the procession of mourners.

‘Whew, this is a real disaster.’

‘I know. The Marquis has passed away, but it’s absurd that we can’t hold the Emperor’s faction accountable!’

‘But there’s no physical evidence. If we had physical evidence, we would have rushed to the Imperial Palace and demanded the punishment of those involved.’

They were young nobles in their 20s and 30s belonging to the noble faction.

They were convinced that the Marquis’s death was the work of the Emperor’s faction.

However, they were frustrated because they could not prove the method of murder or provide any evidence.

‘Oh, is that so?’

Luke suddenly had a brilliant idea.

Originally, he had planned to declare in the Imperial Council that the war with the Volga Republic was a defeat, not a victory, to create difficulties for the Emperor and gain an advantage.

But now, if he played his cards right, an even more exciting and chaotic event would unfold.

‘Hehehe, look forward to it.’

With a wicked smile, he left Marquis Cabanel’s mansion.