He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 62

As I told Jack, I intended to use myself as bait to expose the traitor.

Of course, to make the bait work, it had to look appetizing.

“So, is that why you’re deliberately joining the patrols?”

“Of course, that’s the reason. But it’s a secret from the regular members.”

“Naturally. If not, the Rangers could end up distrusting each other.”

So, as it was, I had been joining the patrols in dangerous areas for a while.

Hermann, the executive who was in the meeting room on the first day, already knew and subtly asked me about my intentions.

Speaking quietly so that the other members besides Jack and I couldn’t hear, he continued cautiously.

“I think Vice-Commander Van Horn is suspicious.”

“Isn’t it petty to slander him just because you dislike him?”

“No, it’s not like that. There have been rumors about him acting suspiciously recently.”

Hermann’s attitude was too serious to be dismissed as mere personal feelings, so I gestured for him to continue.

“I heard he secretly leaves the base to meet someone. The people he meets are said to be from the Western lords.”

“Is he leaking information to them? But the ones attacking the ambush sites are Greenskins [Orcs and Goblins], aren’t they?”

“That’s right. But you said it yourself, didn’t you? That they’ve joined forces with the Greenskins. It seems he leaks information to the lords, and they pass it on to the Greenskins.”

On the surface, it makes sense. If there were evidence, that is.

“It’s just a rumor, isn’t it? I bet no one even knows who started the rumor. That’s usually how rumors are.”

“No, there’s evidence. A member in charge of managing supplies says that supplies keep disappearing secretly, and Van Horn is suspected. Even if the rumor is just a rumor, that’s physical evidence.”

Unless Hermann is just spouting nonsense, supplies are definitely being siphoned off.

Of course, that alone isn’t enough to know if Van Horn is really embezzling, so I didn’t jump to conclusions.

“Hermann, stop with the baseless suspicions. Vice-Commander Van Horn isn’t that kind of person.”

But Jack stepped in to defend him instead of me.

“Why are you defending him, Jack? It’s true that he seems suspicious, isn’t it?”

“You only think so. When I was a Ranger, he was the one who defended me to the end when I was framed by a noble brat. A person who was willing to take the fall for his subordinates is a traitor?”

“Th-that’s… I didn’t know.”

Hermann seemed genuinely confused by Jack’s rebuttal, as if he really didn’t know.

But neither of their opinions could confirm Van Horn’s innocence or guilt.

“Greenskin wolf cavalry appearing from the northwest!”

“Damn it, another attack.”

Just then, Greenskins were seen rushing in, kicking up dust clouds in the somewhat arid wasteland.

Wolf cavalry we’d seen before, but this time it wasn’t just Orcs.

There were also Goblin archers riding smaller, ordinary wolves.

“Form anti-cavalry formation! Quickly!”

“Set up a firing line in the front! Archers, cover the flanks!”

“Scatter caltrops [spiked metal devices]!”

It clearly meant that the patrol route, which was supposed to be confidential, had been exposed, but the Rangers, already accustomed to these attacks, began to respond calmly.

Those with modified crossbows capable of rapid and burst fire stood with those holding long spears in the direction the wolf cavalry was charging, preparing a firing line and barricade.

The archers, who could provide flexible support to any location with their rapid fire, were to cover both flanks and deter any enemies attempting to flank.

And scattering the caltrops they had prepared in advance was a bonus.

“Fire!”

Pshoo-shook! Pa-ba-ba-bat!

-Kuh-huh-hung! Heung!

“Krugh! Damn humans! Don’t stop, charge!”

The Orcs riding giant wolves, wielding large axes, stubbornly insisted on a frontal assault.

But it was difficult to break through the caltrops scattered in advance and the hail of bolts pouring down from the front.

If they had been wearing full-body iron armor, it would have been somewhat better, but the Orcs, with their underdeveloped ironworking technology, couldn’t make full-body armor.

Shwee-shook, Pow!

“Ugh! The Goblins are firing!”

After one failed charge, the Greenskins changed their tactics.

The Goblin horse archers they had brought along began to engage in long-range fire, inducing a ranged battle.

Snipers like Jack and Hermann countered by sniping them, but the Goblins were quite numerous, creating a difference in firepower.

“They’re coming again!”

The Orc riders, having regrouped in the meantime, were charging again.

If that charge was allowed, the Rangers would be in for a tough fight.

“Now’s the time!”

Just before their charge was about to hit, I faced the Orc riders’ charge head-on.

At this timing, the Orcs couldn’t retreat either.

If I could just overturn the charge, it was an opportunity to wipe them out!

“First, a big one!”

Pa-chut-chut-chut-chut!

An aura imbued with explosive properties filled the holy sword.

Soon, the sword wind unleashed by wielding it covered the charging Orc riders.

Kwang!

The giant wolves and Orcs were either knocked back by the force of the explosion or killed.

Of course, both were sturdy creatures, so there were some who didn’t die and tried to get up and fight again.

Ta-da-da-dat- Chwaak! Seo-keok! Shushu-shook!

Not missing the gap, I moved around at high speed, slashing those who hadn’t fully regained their senses.

Slicing with the sword alone wasn’t enough, so I simultaneously sent out shadow blades in all directions.

Using dozens of shadow blades while wielding a sword wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t impossible thanks to my high concentration.

“Leave that side to Lord Shadow! Focus on the Goblins’ sniping!”

As I was stopping and even crushing the Orcs’ charge, the Rangers showed their sense by counter-sniping the sniping Goblins rather than supporting that side.

When even the personnel who had been forming the front firing line to stop the charge joined the counter-sniping, the kill ratio widened rapidly, no matter how much the Goblins pushed with numbers.

“They’re retreating!”

Soon, the Greenskins, having suffered heavy losses, couldn’t hold out any longer and began to flee.

We didn’t have cavalry here, so we didn’t pursue.

I could have caught a few more if I used high-speed movement, but it wasn’t worth it to catch a few more.

“Fortunately, there are only injuries, no deaths. It’s all thanks to you.”

“Well, it’s because everyone fought well, not just me. More importantly, we should hurry back.”

“Yes, it would be troublesome if another attack came here.”

Hermann agreed with my opinion and chose to return rather than continue the patrol.

The other Rangers also knew that it would be dangerous if more battles occurred here, so there were no objections.

“Jack, as soon as we get back, monitor Van Horn.”

While returning to headquarters, I quietly gave Jack an order.

“Does Your Majesty also suspect him?”

“If it happens once or twice, it’s a coincidence, but three times is inevitable.”

For the past few patrols I’ve joined, I’ve agreed with Commander Leonard to keep it a secret from everyone except the patrol participants and one other person.

“Could it be…”

“Yes, Van Horn knew. He heard it with the Commander.”

And now, even if there’s no physical evidence, the one I suspect the most is Van Horn.

I can’t determine the culprit based on suspicion alone, but I can decide the order of suspicion and investigation.

“…I understand. I can only hope he’s innocent.”

Jack also understood that, so he decided to monitor him rather than object.

* * *

On a night when the pale moon hung over the western wasteland, someone was meeting in a secluded place a little away from the Ranger headquarters.

One of them was Vice-Commander Van Horn, who had secretly left the Ranger headquarters.

“Have you come? You’re a little late?”

“…An uninvited guest came to the headquarters.”

“You mean the person from the Imperial Family? That’s troublesome.”

“Well, we just need to do what we have to do. Did you find anything out?”

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing special yet. We just need to put in a little more effort, but that’s…”

The commoner man talking to Van Horn looked troubled but also expectant.

Seeing that, Van Horn frowned slightly but took out what he had brought.

“This is the last time. If there’s no gain next time either, you won’t be safe.”

“Hehe, of course.”

Receiving the pouch containing a considerable amount of gold and silver coins, the commoner man grinned.

But that smile soon had to stop.

“Oh dear, there was a rat in the leadership of the patrol.”

“…!”

It was because Jack and I, who had been secretly tracking him from the darkness, revealed ourselves.

“Don’t move. If you do anything foolish, your head will fly off.”

The silver holy sword, already drawn from its scabbard, was coldly reflecting the moonlight.

Van Horn, not taking my warning lightly, immediately stopped his hand reaching for the crossbow for self-defense.

“Lord Shadow, this is…”

“Are you trying to make excuses? It looks like you’re bribing someone to anyone who sees it? That’s the patrol’s operating funds, isn’t it?”

“…”

Van Horn was silent, as if he had no intention of denying it.

“Vice-Commander, I’m disappointed. How could you become like this?”

Jack, with an arrow nocked in his bow, asked.

His face showed betrayal of his former superior, whom he had trusted.

“It’s true that I used some of the patrol’s funds.”

“I’m sure you did. We’re already seeing it, aren’t we?”

“But this isn’t what you think it is. Give me a chance to explain.”

“Shut up! Do you think excuses will work when you’ve been caught red-handed!”

Van Horn closed his mouth again when Jack shouted in anger.

The commoner man he was talking to was trembling, so it seemed too early to interrogate him.

“Wait, I should listen to what he has to say for the sake of interrogation. Vice-Commander Van Horn, you know that you’re in a very suspicious situation right now, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Then you’ll have to explain yourself very well. Are you saying you’re not a traitor?”

“I’m not a traitor.”

“But there’s definitely a traitor. Even after I came, the patrol locations and ambush positions continued to be revealed, and you knew all those locations.”

Except for the Commander and the patrol participants, only Van Horn knows, and Van Horn is the one with the strongest suspicion among those suspects.

But now, he’s become a criminal caught in the act, going beyond suspicion, so no one can object even if I define him as a traitor here.

“That’s not what I did. I was rather looking for the traitor.”

“What?”

However, Van Horn replied with an unexpected statement.

“I’ve long suspected that there was a traitor inside the patrol. I’ve been secretly investigating to find out who it is.”

“If it’s a lie, it’s a plausible one.”

“There’s a witness here too. This man is one of the informants I created.”

Van Horn pointed to the trembling commoner man.

I glared at him and asked.

“Is that true?”

“Th-that’s right. Van Horn hired servants working under the lords as informants, including me.”

“So, what you gave him was activity funds?”

“Yes… I used money to buy them over and increase the number of informants… and some of it was used as a reward for their efforts. Pl-please don’t kill me. I have rabbit-like children at home…”

“…”

Unless he’s a master of acting, it was hard to see him as lying.

“The suspicion hasn’t been cleared yet… but it’s still worth reconsidering.”

“Thank you. It would be difficult to let the patrol know. I still don’t know who the traitor is inside…”

“I haven’t completely cleared you of suspicion yet. But… it’s definitely difficult to make it public.”

As he said, there was no point in letting people know about this when we didn’t know who the traitor was.

“I understand. I should have trusted you sooner if this was going to happen.”

“We didn’t trust each other, so don’t worry about it. But… did you find anything out?”

“I did.”

Van Horn continued with a grim expression.

“It seems that there are demons behind the traitor.”

“Demons? Not the lords?”

“That’s…”

The moment Van Horn was about to continue speaking.

Shwee-shook, Pow!

“Kuh-heok…!”

“…!”

An arrow that flew from somewhere pierced his heart.