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Chapter 34
“Colonel said he’s counting on me.”
Those words Noah once said came back to mind.
That Ice had worried about him.
Maybe that was why, for once, Leto didn’t feel like twisting his words out of shape as he usually did.
Either way, it seemed like things had turned out well.
“You’ve been married before, right, Colonel?”
“That’s… not exactly the best way to put it, sir.”
Grumbling, Colonel Ice said that anyone overhearing would think he was divorced.
“Did you contact your parents when you got married?”
“Of course I did. Ha… I still remember it vividly. When I went to greet my in-laws, my father-in-law nearly killed me….”
While the Colonel recalled that day like it was some heroic tale, Leto asked,
“Noah and I forgot to make contact.”
“…What kind of contact, sir?”
“To tell them we were getting married.”
“…Pardon me?”
The look on Colonel Ice’s face as he asked again was almost comical.
“So I was going to ask your advice on what I should do…”
But seeing the dumbfounded look of the man he had once rated as fairly competent, Leto decided there was no need to ask.
It was clear that he and Noah had made a big mistake.
“Never mind, take some rest.”
“N-no, General!”
The flustered Colonel hurriedly grabbed his superior.
“You absolutely must inform both families.”
“……”
Leto paused, lost in thought, and gave Colonel Ice a sidelong glance.
“…Even if you’re adopted, it’s still necessary.”
Reading his commander’s mind, Colonel Ice sighed heavily and answered the question Leto hadn’t spoken aloud.
“Why in the world do you avoid contacting the family like this?”
“Well, you know the circumstances.”
“As far as I know, the Marquess of Oceanus has never treated you unfairly because you’re adopted.”
“That’s exactly what makes him remarkable.”
If it were me, I could never do that.
Holding back the unspoken circumstances he couldn’t even tell Ice, whom he trusted, Leto spoke indifferently, shrugging his shoulders.
“Either way, they’ll know soon enough.”
The person Leto had called over the weekend was none other than the Marquess of Oceanus.
He had asked the Marquess for permission to use his private funds.
Over the receiver, the Marquess was silent for a moment before granting permission.
It seemed the call had surprised him—his adopted son suddenly contacting him to access funds that had long gone untouched and piled up.
And yet he didn’t even ask what I was going to use them for…
Perhaps he was too surprised to think of asking.
“Even though I’m adopted, I’m still a member of the Oceanus family.”
His every move would surely be reported back to those in the capital.
The case of the Navy Rear Admiral’s defection.
Former Logistics Commander Rear Admiral Flancy and seven knights of the Royal Order had attempted to smuggle military weapons to the Empire—but were caught before succeeding.
The Southern Navy suffered its share of disgrace from this incident.
But at the same time, they received praise for protecting a private vessel and capturing the culprits.
In terms of gains and losses, the South came out just slightly ahead.
But the Royal Knights were not so fortunate.
Their pride, their honor they had boasted of for so long as protectors of the royal family, became their downfall.
The King stripped Sir Delat and Sir Perata—the ringleaders among the seven involved knights—of their knighthood and sentenced them to death.
Royal Knights, before being soldiers, were the King’s personal retainers.
Meaning, by the King’s order, a swift sentence could be delivered without a formal trial.
On top of that, the Delat family was stripped of its title and reduced to commoners.
The King had even attempted to confiscate their assets—but there were none left to take. It was then that Sir Delat’s gambling addiction came to light.
Meanwhile, the five remaining knights were punished with one month of unpaid suspension and barred from promotion for the next five years.
The leniency was due to their having been coerced, and because before the crime was carried out, they had confessed and aided in the arrests.
Because of that, the criticism against them wasn’t too harsh.
In fact, some public sympathy even began to grow.
“…The world is strange, isn’t it.”
In a small village on the outskirts of the capital, the owner of a general store clicked his tongue as he watched a young man pass by.
“He was such a diligent youth, taking care of his elderly grandparents….”
“He just had the misfortune of serving the wrong superior.”
The shop owner next door, sweeping the street, nodded in agreement.
“Still, His Majesty knew that, and that’s why he gave them lighter punishment.”
“What’s he doing now?”
“Seems like he’s working day labor. Leaves at dawn and comes back late in the afternoon.”
Their sympathetic gazes fell again on the young man’s back—Sir Relly’s back.
He wore rather dirty clothes, his shoes caked with mud, and in his arm was a pitch-black bag.
Dragging his weary steps, Sir Relly headed home.
The small, shabby house where he lived with his grandparents was set apart from the rest of the village. There wasn’t another home nearby.
“I’m ho—…”
But stepping inside, Sir Relly froze on the spot.
“Welcome back.”
A voice came from the shaded living room where sunlight didn’t reach.
“…Urgh!”
As he hastily tried to turn, Relly was slammed to the floor, his arm twisted painfully behind his back.
“And you’re late,” said the man waiting in the shadows.
Just as he said, the house was already surrounded by heavily armed soldiers.
“Psed Relly.”
At the name, Sir Relly—or rather, Psed Relly—was no longer the dutiful grandson the villagers had praised.
On his twisted face was not the slightest trace of remorse, only crooked resentment and seething rage.
“You are under arrest for violating the National Security Act.”
The man who emerged from the dim living room was enormous.
White hair and beard like a white lion, pitch-black sunglasses that obscured his age, and a scar slashing across his cheek.
“…N-no, it can’t be…!”
Fear spread across Relly’s face.
“You know who I am?”
The White Lion curled one corner of his mouth.
“Pathetic.”
Thud!
His massive foot came crashing down toward Relly’s face.
In front of the royal palace of Adlabor stretched a long, wide plaza, with rows of government ministries and offices lined neatly on either side.
The idea was to maximize efficient circulation of government work.
Each building displayed large signs or emblems to show which ministry it belonged to.
But there was one building that did not.
Square, gray-bricked, moderately large, and with a closed-off exterior, it looked more like an old noble’s townhouse at a glance.
“Marchioness.”
A long, elegant, blue-runed motorcar pulled up in front of the building.
“We’ve arrived.”
The middle-aged woman reading in the back seat lifted her head.
“Wait here a moment.”
“Take your time, my lady.”
“You know we can’t stay parked too long in front of a government office.”
She removed the small pince-nez perched on her nose, tidied it away, and stepped into the gray, austere building.
Dressed in a black velvet two-piece suit, with a narrow-brimmed cloche hat, her blue hair was tied neatly up. Her intelligent face had an almost frosty air.
Yet people couldn’t help but be captivated by her noble grace.
Everyone who saw her had no doubt she was an aristocrat.
Her upright posture, her measured stride, even the rhythmic swing of her arm carrying a small handbag radiated aristocratic dignity.
“Marchioness of Oceanus!”
A young staffer recognized her at once.
“What brings you here? Ah—are you here because of the General?”
“So he’s here, then.”
“Ah, ha ha…”
Awkwardly laughing, the staffer lowered his voice like revealing a secret.
“He’s in the Director’s office as a guest. He even went with them to today’s arrest.”
“Sorry for the trouble.”
“Not at all! In fact, the men who went along said they were thrilled to see the General’s incredible strength firsthand.”
Eyes sparkling, the staffer admitted he had wished he could have gone too, then bowed and stepped aside.
The Marchioness of Oceanus headed straight for the Director’s office.
Through the tightly shut door came hearty laughter—among them, the voice she was seeking.
For the first time, the Marchioness’s face, usually so composed, revealed emotion: a faint grimace of irritation.
“Urrgh!”
As she swung the door open roughly, a flustered cry sounded.
But it wasn’t from the one she sought.
Ignoring the startled Director, the Marchioness strode straight toward the man sipping calmly at his drink.
“General.”
“……”
“Father.”
“Yes, yes.”
At last, the white-haired gentleman responded upon hearing the address he wanted.
The Marchioness crossed her arms and glared at him without true malice.
“I hear you accompanied the Security Bureau on an arrest.”
“I only went along, that’s all.”
“I also hear you used unnecessary intimidation during the suspect’s capture.”
“He looked like he was about to run, so I just lightly restrained him.”
What could he do if the man fainted on his own after a light stomp near his face? The White Lion shrugged his massive shoulders.
“Did you come to nag me? Because of you, the Security Bureau Director nearly keeled over. Is he all right?”
“Ha ha, I was startled, but I’m fine,” the Director said with a sheepish smile.
“Honestly, what kind of Security Bureau Director gets spooked just by a door opening suddenly…”
“It’s because his heart’s small, that’s all.”
“Then we should have another drink! Let’s finish this round!”
The two old men roared with laughter, raising their glasses again.
Watching with disapproval, the Marchioness pursed her lips before finally speaking.
“Leto contacted me.”
At that, the White Lion set his glass down on the table.
“My apologies. I’ll be taking my leave.”
“Eh? General?”
“I’ll invite you to the manor another time.”
“Y-yes, sir! Take care!”
“No need to see me off. And drink less, or your liver will give out!”
Outside, the driver of the blue motorcar quickly opened the rear door as the Marchioness emerged from the building.
“What did he say?”
Inside the car, the White Lion immediately asked.
“…I believe I should be the one asking first.”
The Marchioness furrowed her brow slightly.
“Why did you even go to the arrest site? Isn’t that overstepping your authority?”
“I only went to watch.”
The White Lion recalled the sight of Psed Relly foaming at the mouth and collapsing.
“They said it was prey lured out by the big lad. I was curious, so I went.”
“As if Leto wouldn’t have handled it himself.”
“That’s why I wanted to see it.”
When the Royal Knights were taken away, Leto had submitted a petition asking for leniency for the five ordinary knights.
The document may have been called a ‘petition,’ but its contents were anything but.
