Chapter 56

Expecting to get even crumbs of bread from him, Schwalnon was flattering Elnos day and night. As a result, the training of the 1st Division of Imperial Knights was in the hands of the Vice Commander, Karma, and Schwalnon had not even seen yet the face of the new member, Leasis.

Elnos was very interested in her. She was worth it because she was the winner of the gladiator tournament, and had been the direct maid of Count Dratius.

In order to catch his eyes, Schwalnon praised Leasis, saying she would soon come with him to see Elnos together. He even promised it. He had never seen her properly, so it was really shameless.

However, contrary to his expectations, Elnos shook his head. He smiled significantly, saying that he would visit her in person when the time came. Schwalnon was curious, but Elnos was someone he could not understand.

Schwalnon returned to his Commander’s office in the late morning. He was planning to prepare new cloaks for the operations of the Imperial Knights before winter came. Of course most of the budget would go into his own pockets.

He approached the fluffy fabric chair in the middle of the Commander’s office. As he fumbled over the floor below the chair, he touched the key he had secretly hidden. It was a secret place that only he knew.

Taking the key, he whistled and walked to the safe in the corner of the office. Touching money had always been a pleasant thing.

The safe opened with a heavy sound. But it’s weird. Schwalnon murmured blankly while looking at the empty safe. Why is it empty? He reached out his hand and touched inside the safe. He could not feel anything but the cold metal.

His face turned red in an instant and he ran out of the Commander’s office huffing and puffing. Some knights who knew nothing about it were in the indoor training ground.

Money, my money! Karma came running to Schwalnon when he saw his white face.

“Commander-nim. What’s the matter?”

“Operating expenses… The operating expenses are gone!”

Was he drunk again? Karma frowned at Schwalnon’s sudden words. Schwalnon rambled and shouted ‘My money, my money!’ It was like he was having a nightmare.

Instead of asking Schwalnon, Karma went into the Commander’s office. He looked inside and outside of the wide open safe. The safe was empty, and its outside was a little suspicious. There were traces of scratches around the lock of the safe. When he touched them, he found them rough as if they had been done recently.

It was a serious crime to steal the operating expenses of the Knights. Karma jumped out of his seat and asked Schwalnon.

“Commander-nim, have you ever shared the key with anyone else?”

“That can’t be true! I always hid it on the floor below the chair in the Commander’s office! The last time I came here, it was definitely…”

Karma’s face was subtly hardened by Schwalnon’s sloppy explanations. This idiot was even trying to hide the key to the safe under the chair. Karma asked whether he had applied a sealing magic, which was the basics of safe management, but Schwalnon made excuses that he could not because he was saving money.

Then anyone could easily steal the operating expenses of the 1st Division of Imperial Knights. Karma bit his lips while looking at the knights in training.

Since Schwalnon’s absence, Karma had worked as if he were guarding the Commander’s office, but he had been away at dawn due to an emergency call-up of the Vice Commander. Furthermore, servants and maids had also been banned from entering the office recently, so it was unconditionally an internal act.

Karma locked Schwalnon, who was foaming like a crab, asking to find the criminal right away. A dumb ally was not as helpful as a fingernail.

The 1st Division was called and immediately stopped training. It was uncomfortable for him, the Vice Commander, to have a thief among his trusted knights.

Karma spoke in a frozen voice.

“Someone stole the operating expenses of our 1st Division of Imperial Knights.”

“What? Isn’t it an outside job?”

“Who did that?”

“Everyone, be quiet. It must have happened early this morning.”

Karma mediated the buzzing knights and cleared his voice. He looked through the members of the Division and said seriously.

“The crime of theft is severely punished, but if it is revealed now, I will forgive it. Everyone close your eyes, and raise your hands if you want to speak truthfully.”

The surrounding area became as quiet as a grave. Karma clicked his tongue when the members only closed their eyes. He urged them to tell the truth again, but no one raised their hands.

Karma’s face turned dark. In this situation, it was hard to find the criminal.

Then, Onjet raised his hand. When Karma looked at him in surprise, Onjet said in a loud voice as if to tell everyone.

“Vice Commander-nim, I saw it.”

“Are you saying you saw the thief?”

“Yes.”

Everyone opened their eyes and looked at Onjet. Onjet stared at Leasis with a mean face.

“That’s her.”

In an instant, the knights’ eyes were on Leasis. Unable to understand the situation, she looked alternately between Onjet and Karma.

Onjet’s finger was clearly directed at her, and she was the only woman in the Division.

Leasis was embarrassed, but the knights seemed to agree to some extent. She was the only one cleaning up at dawn and late at night. Moreover, she could use a blue aura, and she was excellent at everything, so it was easy to open the safe even if it took some time.

“I saw her entering the Commander’s office with my own eyes at dawn this morning.”

Onjet’s confident voice added credibility. Suddenly, Leasis, who was framed, shook her head loudly.

“That’s ridiculous! I’ve never done that.”

“Who can prove your innocence?”

“Furgin-nim… I cleaned up at dawn with you!”

In a hurry, Leasis approached Furgin and grabbed his long sleeve.

“Right, Furgin-nim? Today with me…”

For the first time, he did not make eye contact with her. He snapped off his sleeve.

It was an act of no strength, but a clear rejection.

“Furgin-nim?”

“I’m sorry. I can’t lie.”

“Oh, you can’t lie! Surely you were cleaning with me…”

“Noisy.”

Karma cut her off with a single word. There were already witnesses, and not enough alibi. In addition, it was the first incident that happened after she joined the Division, and she was an orphan and a humble maid, so she had enough motivation.

Everyone seemed to admit Leasis’ crimes. Karma glanced at her with cold eyes.

“Stay in your room. I will call you after discussing the appropriate level of punishment with the Commander-nim.”

*

Suddenly struck by lightning, Leasis sighed as she looked at the tightly closed door.

There was nothing she could do, but somehow, she had to prove her innocence. From what she remembered, theft could result in her being dismissed from the Imperial Knights.

Sitting on the bed, she jumped up. It was possible with Furgin. He may have lied in embarrassment earlier, but if he told the truth, she could prove her innocence.

Leasis quietly left her room and ran in the opposite direction on the same floor. Since she had cleaned all the accommodations of the 1st Division, it was possible for her to find any room with her eyes closed.

In front of the sky blue door, Leasis hesitated for a moment. She was worried that Furgin might lie like before. Still, she gained faith when recalling Furgin’s usual straight face.

She took a big breath and heard something from inside when she was about to knock on the door. Leasis put her ear on the door.

[I don’t think the priests need to come all the way here.]

[Huh. What do you believe in?]

[I gave you all the money.]

[Do you think the cost of treatment at the temple would only be a penny? How many bottles of holy water do you think your father needs?]

Following the shocking conversation, Leasis took her head off the door. Did Furgin stole the money? Not long ago, she remembered Furgin, smiling bitterly as he said that his father was sick.

Leasis looked blankly at the door, unable to do anything, and turned around.

Leasis was then called by Karma, but she had no excuse. She could not denounce Furgin because of his sick father.

“So, you admit your sins?”

“…”

“Answer!”

Karma got angry at the heavy silence in the Commander’s office. Knowing that his opponent was Leasis, Schwalnon told him to let it go.

However, Karma was unable to move on. Aside from his personal feelings for her, his anger was even greater because she had betrayed the trust of her colleagues.

Karma was furious and asked the knights who were standing by to kick out Leasis. In the end, Leasis was taken with the money she had saved and expelled from the Imperial Palace.

Leasis stared blankly at the entrance of the Imperial Palace. She had previously thought that the time when she was kicked out by Hizen would be the first and the last, but she did not expect it to happen again like this.

A chilly night breeze passed her mockingly. Leasis sighed, touching her arms with both hands.

She thought for a moment about asking Max and Owen for help, but she could not. Had she not decided to cover Furgin and take responsibility? She could not bring anyone else in this.

Leasis was lost in thought, crossing the bridge between the capital and the palace. Then she had to wait until Karma’s anger was relieved. If she apologized again tomorrow and offer to return her salary in the future, it would be better.

Leasis, who had crossed the bridge before she knew it, sighed. At this late hour, she could not go to Liduré, and had no other choice but to be on her own. She squatted on the floor and bowed her head.

I hope tomorrow comes soon.