Chapter 163

After Ober left his study, Eckart immediately called Justice Minister Duke Lamont. He issued two decrees and gave one of them to him, along with Ober’s investigation report.

At the emperor’s order, Duke Lamont confirmed the report and decree on the spot, lowering his head without hiding his miserable expression.

As the source of the intelligence was doubtful, Duke Hubble plotted treason if Ober’s report was true.

Even if the report was false, he could never turn a deaf ear to it as someone who was in charge of the law and justice of the Aslan empire.

“As soon as the witnesses are escorted to Milan, I will interrogate them in person and take the necessary step for you to punish them when their charges are confirmed, and I will also immediately set up a special task force to dispatch to Duke Hubble’s mansion and estates to prevent any loss of evidence.”

“Hurry up, but make sure you don’t have any loopholes.”

“I’ll keep it in mind, Your Majesty. Duke Hubble is probably still in the palace. If you permit, let me have him arrested immediately and confine him in the dungeon…”

“Given the gravity of his crime, it is right to have him imprisoned in the prison controlled by the Justice Department, but put him under house arrest, specifically in the bedroom of his mansion until his charges are irreversibly proven. Let me order the palace office to take care of the house arrest procedures, so focus on arresting the witnesses and the relevant evidence.”

“… Yes, Your Majesty.”

Duke Lamont seemed a little puzzled by Eckart’s decision, but soon he obeyed and bowed.

With a serious look Lamont hurried out of the emperor’s study.

Eckart brought in another person as soon as Duke Lamont left. After hurriedly sending one of his servants to the palace office, he was lost in deep thoughts. Sitting obliquely in the chair, he raised his fingertips and pressed near his temple out of habit.

Given the intelligence and the situation, the witnesses were fake.

Although he ordered Duke Lamont to interrogate them and search Duke Hubble’s mansion and estates, perhaps the witnesses would not even arrive in the capital safely.

Even if they arrived in the capital and came forward as witnesses, they could doggedly take aim at Duke Hubble during interrogation by Justice investigators, or disappear in the middle after shaking the chessboard by saying something outrageous. If they chose the former, that would mean that Ober wanted to completely destroy the Hubble family. If they chose the latter, that would mean Ober would keep him alive with nominal power. Given that Ober wanted to put Duke Hubble under house arrest, there was a high possibility that he wanted the latter option.

But Duke Hubble would never join hands again with Ober if he were stabbed in the back by Ober, so there might be some sort of hidden deal between them…

“Your Majesty, the Chief Chamberlain has arrived,” Harriet announced clearly.

As soon as Eckart okayed it, the door opened quietly.

“May the glory of the great god Airius be bestowed on Your Majesty. I, Chief Chamberlain and the duke of Kling and Lennox, am honored to see you.”

“I wish you the same thing, Duke Kling.”

Kling got up after offering polite greetings.

Eckart glanced up and down his body, and murmured with a bit of regret, “You look great as you’re dressed up like that, but you look too bright to be seen as the god of death…”

Perplexed by his weird praise, Kloud and Kling exchanged a strange look.

Not caring at their perplexed expression, Eckart looked at the duke a couple of times and reached out to his desk. He handed one of the imperial decrees that he kept after giving the other one to Duke Lamont to Kloud.

“What is this, Your Majesty?” Kling asked, holding the decree after receiving it from Kloud.

Eckart slowly leaned back against the chair, crossinh his legs. His blue eyes were fixed on the opposite side and closed gently.

“Read it once. It’s the first war report for preparing your revenge.”

* * *

Bang!

He forcefully struck his cane on the floor. Subsequently, there was the sound of the chair legs scratching the carpet.

“… Damn it. Growing old doesn’t do me any good. My vision is blurry, and I can’t hear well.”

Duke Hubble got up and looked straight at the unwelcome visitors who came into the office of the Secretary of the Interior.

Most of the officials were still in the office, but the atmosphere of the office was so quiet. No one dared to speak loudly. Even the slightest sign of them breathing and swallowing was annoying.

“As you are a generous man by nature, please tell this old man that bullshit once more.”

Even without any strength, his presence seemed to squeeze everyone’s head.

Although his tone was soft, he was obviously displeased and bluffing, given the words he chose in replying.

“Based on the investigation report compiled by the Foreign Minister, I spot you, the Secretary of the Interior, Duke Balter von Hubble, as a suspect of rebellion effective immediately. In addition, I put you into house arrest indefinitely until further order. Your mansion as well as all your estates including the Castle of Hubble will be searched and denied access to prevent the destruction of evidence. In addition, your position as the Interior Secretary will be stripped temporarily, and all your rights and responsibilities will be suspended. The Chief Chamberlain will temporarily exercise the decision right on behalf of the Interior Secretary during your absence.”

Standing amid overwhelming silence, Chief Chamberlain Duke Kling read out the imperial order in his hand clearly.

“Oops! I thought I was deaf, but it looks like the heat got to the emperor. Or he must have gone crazy.”

“Duke Hubble, don’t disgrace His Excellency’s honor recklessly. Keep in mind that your reckless remarks are also duly recorded and can be used as evidence against you by the Justice Department.”

Duke Kling emphatically responded to his resistance. Duke Hubble silently glanced at the young man standing behind his right shoulder.

The young official with curly pink hair and red eyes like rubies was busy writing down his remarks on a notepad. Obviously, he was the youngest son of Marquis Euclid, who claimed to be one of the emperor’s close aides. Besides, on his left was a prominent member of the Eluang Knights who followed the emperor like a shade wherever he went. Obviously they were here to deliver the emperor’s order.

“I think I have lived too long. Why am I being humiliated when I am alive?”

Duke Hubble spoke loudly and walked directly to the place where Kling was standing. Every time he took a step, he hit the floor with the cane, freezing the atmosphere. That cold, angry noise soon stopped right before Kling.

“Duke Kling, it’s been fifty years since I’ve served as a cabinet minister. I mean, I’ve devoted my time and energy to the empire as long as you’ve been alive. When your father was a duke, I served with him for His Majesty Joseph. You have been stuck in the northern area until now, and you suddenly came back to the capital to threaten me like this? Are you crazy? Or are you stupid?”

His olive eyes sparkled under his white gray hair. He spoke to Kling harshly as if he were rebuking a child, but Kling looked straight at him without batting an eye at all.

“The emperor has decided to put you under house arrest after fully taking into account your contribution to the empire. According to the Justice Department regulations, you were originally set to be confined to a dungeon instead of your comfortable mansion.”

“Don’t run your mouth. Your arrogant remarks disgrace my honor. How can you take the measure you can’t take responsibility for by using your fleeting authority? Don’t you think it’s too stupid?”

“I am completely following the emperor’s order, and I am ready to be fully responsible for my remarks. Therefore, you can also take responsibility for your words and actions. Those charged with treason can be punished with execution, so please take it into account very well.”

Duke Hubble blatantly frowned and then laughed. It was an eerie ridicule.

“You’re talking gibberish as if I’m guilty. When did Aslan’s laws become evil enough to convict the suspect without any conclusive evidence?”

“The emperor has never concluded that you are the main culprit of treason. That’s why he’s giving you the chance to have a fair trial without being imprisoned immediately. ”

“Chance? Fair trial? Do you think it’s fair to take away all my positions and power, confine me to my mansion and estates, so that I stay put in my bedroom and die? Is that a fair chance for me?”

“That’s right.” Kling nodded casually.

Duke Hubble snorted at him as if he was dumbfounded.

Though he was smiling, his face looked ferocious as if he would tear everything he caught in his hand.

“Get out of my way right now. Let me see the emperor right away.”

“His Excellency said he would not meet anyone today.”

“I told you to get out of my way!”

“There are knights waiting outside to escort you to your mansion. Please help us to stop any unpleasant things from happening.”

“Let me tell you again. Get out of my way!”