Chapter 109

Chapter 109: Chapter 108

“Okay. Anyway, I kept you waiting outside… I waited for you in vain, so I handled urgent affairs first before coming back.”

“Oh, really? I didn’t see you coming back.”

“It’s because you went in and out of the first floor, while I went in and out of the second floor. Do you think there is only one door in this spacious study?”

There were a few more doors, as he said, but Ober didn’t believe it at all.

Not only around Eckart’s desk, but anywhere in his study, Ober could not find any evidence of his bustling movement in a short time. He smelled a rat because Eckart first pointed out he came late and that Kloud abruptly interrupted them.

Ober thought that Eckart had been blatantly watching his actions while sitting here in his study.

He must have instructed the servant something in advance, waiting for Ober to go back in a fit of anger until his patience ran out. And then right at the moment he turned, Eckart called him to his study.

“So, why did you call me?”

“Don’t you remember I told you I would repay my debt of gratitude to you?”

Asking him casually, he picked up a teacup on the desk.

“I was agonized over what kind of award to give you. Everybody in the capital knows you’re very picky. As you grew up, seeing and possessing only the best stuff, I wouldn’t be able to save my face if I gave you an ordinary gift.”

Ober looked at him without replying. He didn’t even show any indication that he would gladly receive any gift from the emperor.

“So I decided to give you what only I can give.”

Eckart did not point out his rudeness. Instead, he emptied the teacup and put it down. The medicine that smelled of grass went down on his throat with the fragrance of dark flower tea.

“You must have heard of the incident at Roshan. It was very terrible.”

His low voice pressed down on his heart heavily. When he stopped speaking on and off, his intense anger shone like a flame.

“Although the cardinal said it was a trial that God gave me to prepare a miracle, I am only a human. You might not even imagine how painful it was when my flesh and bones were torn.”

Ober found a lump of emotions that were hard to describe in writing in his blue eyes and low voice. It was like a terrible horror, or his true feelings with a murderous spirit.

Ober suddenly questioned his character.

‘When did the emperor start to express his feelings in this way?’

Even if the scheduled cabinet meetings were cancelled without any reason, or when he incited provincial mayors to ignore his edicts, Eckart never showed his anger. When he realized that acknowledging his weaknesses could be abused by his opponents, he did not cry even at the funerals of the late emperor and empress.

Ober couldn’t understand at all why this same person was now kindly talking about his defeat and tragedy.

“Many people left behind in the capital prayed for you and Lady Marianne’s safe return, expressing their concern about your safety. I am sorry that I could not help you out in that turmoil.”

“Wow, you are an excellent example of a loyal servant. I understand why the late emperor valued you, Chester.”

As Ober tried to make plausible excuses, Eckart mocked him with feigned flattery. He even faintly smiled at Ober.

“Your mother also told me she thought there seemed to be people involved and people responsible for the accident, but she said it was difficult to conclude clearly.”

“I think you probably said so because you could never know the exact cause of the accident without a thorough investigation.”

“You bet. I think it’s a complicated and difficult matter. So, the Grand Duke, chief of the Eluang Knights, asked to form a separate investigation team, but I refused his request.”

“The Great Duke is a man of integrity, so there are lots of knights following him. If anybody forms an investigation team, I think he would be the perfect candidate.”

“Well, I thought there was another man better suited to dealing with this accident.”

Eckart smiled softly as he lowered his eyebrows. His smile, which would have looked ecstatic to his fans, seemed to be a gruesome ridicule to Ober.

“Investigate what happened in Roshan on my behalf!”

“Your Majesty!”

Ober kept a straight face. But Eckart did not give him any chance to talk back.

“I want you to investigate and find out clearly whether it was really an accident or a treacherous rebellion, so you can ally the concern of the empire and enhance your honor.”

“… Didn’t you want to give me the award? This is too honorable a task for me. I think you can find a better candidate.”

“You are a faithful servant not only for me but also for Lady Marianne. Among those injured in the Roshan’s accident was Mrs. Chester, so you will be prudent in dealing with her. As you are the youngest and smartest of the top five cabinet members, you can start the investigation immediately. As my late father and emperor highly valued your talents, who can I find a better candidate than you?”

“…”

“Furthermore, it is a great task to find out the roots of treason, whose credit can’t be compared with any other task. That’s why I’m going to give you a chance to obtain the highest honor and credit this time.”

After he was done instructing Ober, Eckart beckoned to Kloud. Kloud approached Ober with a small gold plate placed at the edge of the desk.

“This is the commission of full power that entrusts you with full authority and respect to the special investigation.”

Although Eckart was done, Ober did not move for a while. Eckart did not press him either.

Breathless silence filled the room. The sound of the air blowing in through the slightly open window was heard.

After a long hesitation, Ober picked up the golden envelope on the gold plate. As if he pondered over something, there was a strange calm in his expressionless face.

“If you do not intend to withdraw your intention, I’ll gladly accept your order.”

“I hope you won’t betray my deep trust in you.”

Eckart smiled while encouraging him. The smile on his face was the most satisfying and pleasant one Ober had ever seen.

After meeting the emperor, Ober left the study immediately. The heel of his shoes made a sharp rubbing sound as if it could damage the floor of the corridor.

‘Arrogant bastard! Are you going to use me as a hunting dog?’

The golden envelope in his hand was crumpled miserably when he tightened his grip on it.

He wasn’t scared at all even after he crumpled the mandate from the emperor.

Even in the absence of this kind of mandate, Ober always enjoyed power comparable to that of the emperor. This was just a piece of paper that he could burn right away.

‘I don’t know why you have assigned me to this task, but it’s a miscalculation if you think I’ll follow your will. I would have removed you from power but for Empress Alesa…”

Ober quickened his pace, clicking his tongue as if he was extremely displeased.

The corner of the crumpled envelope pricked the palm of his hand.

He already knew who was responsible for the accident, namely Duke Hubble. But there was no possibility that Duke Hubble left any useful evidence related to the accident, and he was not interested at all in the supreme honor that the emperor promised to give him. Neither was his personal revenge for his mother, nor his agreement to seek justice or truth.

In other words, as long as Ober was in charge of the investigation, it was certain that there would be no proper investigation. Even the emperor, who entrusted him with the job against his will, would probably know this.

‘Why did he leave me with this investigation?’

Ober was among the three figures that the emperor suspected most.

How could he dare to entrust Ober with the full power of the investigation?

It was an overly dangerous gamble from the emperor’s point of view.

It was a kind of gambling aiming for a golden apple that would cause the internal division of Ober’s faction. But if his bet went wrong, it meant that his enemy would hold the sword against him.

That’s why Ober felt more uncomfortable. The reason he accepted the emperor’s request was because he wanted to prepare for Duke Hubble’s shrewd dirty trick, but there was no possibility that the emperor would ever know this. Even for Ober, who had a vast network of spies in the capital and each region, just made the decision to cope with Hubbles’ trick.

‘Was there any other line of information that I didn’t catch? Or was I lucky this time? If not…”

While walking, lost in thought, Ober stopped slowly. He walked so fast that he didn’t even know he was already out of the main building of the palace.

Bright sunlight poured over the stairs made of marble. Covering his eyes with hands to avoid sunlight, he looked around when he found someone coming toward him by crossing the central garden.