abcnovels
Chapter 288
Chapter 288
Chapter 288
It was when they were moving to the temporary dormitories as per the instructors’ orders.
“You saw that earlier, right?”
“That Mr. Caron tried to kill those two?”
“To try and kill a noble, and someone from Duke Aziz’s faction at that, in such a public place… he’s really something.”
“Well, in a way, it might be a natural reaction. Count Zachary’s words could definitely be seen as an insult to His Majesty the Emperor.”
“As expected of the Empire’s rat… I wish I had a subordinate like that.”
“Not me… Just looking at him makes my knees tremble. Imagine having a meeting alone with him at night… ugh!”
Each child voiced their opinion.
Various opinions came out, but the main topic was about Caron’s actions and his loyalty.
— How dare a tool of the Emperor try to restrain me! Caron! You will pay dearly for this!Caron’s rampage started after those words.
Others might think it was an outburst of loyalty to the Emperor, but I thought differently.
‘It must be because of Luna.’
No matter how much the Emperor was insulted, one cannot kill someone from Duke Aziz’s faction without the Emperor’s orders.
Count Zachary’s calling Caron a ‘tool of the Emperor’ and insulting him was a scene that appeared in the game as well. Caron always let it pass quietly.
But he acted as if he would kill him immediately?
Luna, who was severely injured. No matter how I think about it, that was the only trigger.
Count Zachary’s shamelessness explosively triggered Caron’s barely contained anger.
‘If that’s the case… does that mean Caron’s loyalty to the Emperor can be bent if it involves Luna?’
…No, that’s impossible.
As Count Zachary said, Caron is a tool of the Emperor.
Tools are not allowed to have feelings.
They are used according to the will of the person holding them. That’s the definition and the very reason for the existence of a ‘tool.’
‘A being that cannot have feelings. That’s exactly what Caron’s character is.’
Like Pavlov’s dog, like a baby elephant tied to a rope, like fleas in a closed jar.
Through a process of slow brainwashing and taming through learning, the monster named Caron was completed.
For such a Caron to do something that could harm the Emperor?
That’s impossible. Even if Luna is involved, it can’t happen.
But if… if that were true.
‘Does that mean Caron still has emotions?’
I couldn’t be sure. But it was worth experimenting.
I was pondering over the new puzzle piece of Caron that I had just acquired.
“Whistle~ That’s quite romantic.”
A cheerful whistle sounded from below.
The person standing there was none other than the Romantic Grandpa, Adonis.
“Keke, romantic, you say? What do you mean by that all of a sudden?”
“Didn’t you see that knight beating up those bad guys! He looked shabby, but what’s important is his substance!”
Adonis’s eyes sparkled brightly.
A knight beating up bad guys… could it be that person I know?
It can’t be. Dwener is not a knight, and even less of a man with substance.
“A person who beats up bad guys, regardless of power relations or allies and enemies. Krr~ In this calculating age, it’s hard to find such a romantic person. Don’t you agree?”
“…”
“I heard he’s the Principal of Annwood Academy? I wonder where he’s been hiding all this time. A talent like that should stand out everywhere.”
Hey, Grandpa! Dwener has been here from the beginning!
At the start of the Carpathia episode, Adonis didn’t even recognize Dwener as a person.
For such a Dwener to not only be recognized as a person but also to be praised as a talented individual by Adonis. Maybe the sun will rise from the west tomorrow.
Of course, I also agreed that Dwener’s performance today was remarkable.
“Keke, it was indeed an outstanding performance. Just like you, Mr. Adonis.”
“Haha, are you scolding me now?”
Adonis slightly squinted his eyes. He seemed to have caught the underlying meaning of my words.
The meaning that while the powerless Dwener was punishing the bad guys, what were you doing?
Of course, I understood Adonis’s position.
‘Adonis is the Emperor’s sword.’
If Caron is a tool that carries out the Emperor’s will in the shadows, Adonis is a sword that spreads the Emperor’s will in the light.
He hasn’t lived as a tool like Caron, but it means he doesn’t do things that would harm the Emperor.
No matter how evil the being in front of him might be.
“Well… I guess that’s all I amount to.”
“Keke, the title of hero is wasted on you.”
Was it because Luna, whom I cherished, was hurt, or was it because I wanted to kill them with Adonis’s help?
Sarcasm naturally flowed out.
“Hahaha! You’re right. The title of hero is wasted on me. It was too heavy for me to handle from the start.”
But Adonis just gave me a pleasant smile in response.
“Perhaps… the title of hero suits that Dwener fellow more.”
“…I apologize.”
“Hahaha! What are you apologizing for? Of course, I’m also looking forward to you. You seem to have the qualities of a hero.”
Pat, pat!
Adonis laughed and patted my back.
When will this old man realize that my blood boils every time he does this?
As I watched my blood boil in real-time, I fell into thought.
‘A hero…’
That’s impossible. In this game, I’ve played the role of a so-called hero a few times, but I’ve never become a true hero.
Maybe that’s why. Clearing the final boss.
Many users speculated that this was the way to become a true ‘hero.’
“It’s impossible. I can’t even protect one comrade, I’m a worthless guy.”
“Don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault that the child was hurt.”
“…Do you really think so?”
“Of course. Didn’t you defeat several demons to save your friends? I heard there are no deaths among the first-years. That’s your achievement.”
Of course, ‘so far.’ Because Luna and the other severely injured could still die.
Frankly, I don’t care what happens to the two pigs who caused this mess.
What matters to me right now is whether Luna wakes up or not. That’s the only thing.
“By the way, have you seen my spear? I threw it towards you.”
I pulled the spear out from my pocket dimension and handed it to Adonis.
It’s a shame, but I had no choice. It was the most precious thing to Adonis.
“Oh! I knew you would have it.”
Adonis carefully handled the spear. His actions were very cautious and respectful.
“Thank you. It’s a precious spear given to me by His Majesty.”
Was he recalling that day? A distant look appeared in Adonis’s eyes.
Caron and Adonis. They were different, but they had many similarities.
They worked for the Emperor, they were more humane than expected, and…
‘They can never escape the Emperor’s grasp until they die.’
I was thinking of the in-game event, the final moments of Adonis and Caron.
“Put your worries aside and get some rest. Caron and I will take care of the aftermath.”
Crackle-!
With a flash of golden lightning, Adonis vanished.
‘So, he plans to handle the aftermath with Caron…’
It was then that I recalled one crucial fact.
The sin of not being able to protect Luna.
I might have to pay for that sin with my life.
I sighed as I looked up at the sky, which had grown dark before I realized it.
The night had become a moment to fear.
“S-s-s-save me!”
“P-please spare us! Just not torture…!”
As soon as Count Zachary and Administrator Rieur realized they were in a torture chamber, they couldn’t help but scream.
Various torture devices were scattered around, stained with unknown fluids and pieces of flesh.
The walls and floor were filled with the remnants of past torture.
Whether it was because they were too busy to clean up or felt no need to, I couldn’t tell.
Either way, it was enough to instill fear in the two men.
“…Noisy.”
“Eeeek!!”
When Caron muttered while holding up a torture device, Count Zachary and Administrator Rieur fainted on the spot.
Leaving them behind, Caron exited the torture chamber.
A little distance away from the torture chamber was Caron’s office.
A knight was already there, waiting.
It was Dwener, the 18th Principal of Annwood Academy.
Dwener struggled to remove his armor, and Caron, watching the back of his head, asked,
“What do you plan to do now?”
Although they had locked the two pigs in the torture chamber, they couldn’t actually torture them.
If handled improperly, it could lead to a war with Duke Aziz’s faction.
‘Moreover, Duke Aziz’s faction is secretly nurtured by His Majesty… they cannot be eradicated.’
Yes, Duke Aziz’s faction was a force secretly raised by the Emperor.
It was an ally cultivated to check the prestigious families that had been in power for centuries.
Recently, the faction had grown larger than expected, so there was a plan to keep it in check a bit…
‘This matter is too minor to eliminate them over.’
Though they had done something unjust, it wasn’t to the extent of causing a national upheaval.
Of course, considering they brought about the crisis of ‘erosion,’ they could be executed, but Count Zachary didn’t cause it intentionally.
It happened because the old woman’s rage was so intense that she was willing to sacrifice her soul.
‘If we wanted to push it, we could punish them, but…’
Count Zachary was still a pivotal figure in Duke Aziz’s faction.
If he were removed, some of the forces aligned with him would inevitably break away.
Even if he did something wrong, protecting or reducing his sentence is part of what a faction does.
But if Count Zachary were not protected and instead ousted?
It would be clear that their faction would lose power. It would be tantamount to saying they wouldn’t be protected if the Emperor turned his blade against them.
Knowing this well, Duke Aziz would definitely try to save Count Zachary somehow.
‘We could win if we fought…’
It’s an era where black magicians and demons run rampant.
Moreover, now that the existence of the Four Heavenly Kings has been confirmed, it’s a time to gather strength.
Though the old woman and her family are pitiable, it is not worth risking the nation.
‘No matter how much I think about it, there is no way to deal with them.’
Caron was groaning, wrestling with his thoughts.
“Why are you groaning over the punishment of criminals? Ah, are you worried about the intensity of the torture? If so, I understand.”
“…Do you not understand the situation we’re in right now?”
“I understand better than anyone. I’m one of Duke Aziz’s people, after all.”
Caron knew that Dwener was not so incompetent that he wouldn’t know the current power dynamics.
Was he acting earlier, then?
Indeed, if the punishment for this incident ended with a few punches, it would be considered a lenient outcome.
Much better than losing one’s head.
“So that’s what you were thinking. It was a good judgment.”
“What are you talking about? I hit them just because I felt like it.”
“…What?”
“I couldn’t hold back my anger. So I gave them a good punch.”
Maybe he was recalling the satisfaction from earlier. Dwener rotated his clenched fist.
Then he started humming a tune and took out a bottle of liquor.
Making a big deal out of carelessly causing trouble, locking the people who needed to be appeased in the torture chamber, and now celebrating by drinking?
Drinking in the early evening, without thinking about what’s to come and how to deal with it?
Caron didn’t know where to start criticizing, so he could only gape with his mouth wide open.
As expected, the incompetent Dwener hadn’t changed.
Realizing he had to clean up everything himself, Caron sighed deeply.
Where should he start?
Writing reports? Apologizing to the two pigs? Or maybe beating up this troublemaker?
As Caron unconsciously clenched his fist, Dwener took out two glasses and spoke.
“We’re such bad adults. Don’t you think so?”
–TL Notes–
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