MDK 29

 Chapter 29: When in the King’s Territory, Follow the King’s Laws

That day, Ferda stood at the highest point and spotted a group riding toward Baldrova’s royal territory. There were about twenty of them, all mounted on horseback.

Unless a horse was raised in the Far East, most would instinctively recoil at the presence of a dragon. Even though these horses were raised in the central area, they did not exhibit such resistance. They had been trained to charge into danger, even if it meant losing their legs—or dying. Only the Empire’s elite could ride such horses. Ferda knew exactly who they were.

“The Purge Unit,” he muttered.

Ruri, standing next to him, replied, “The Purge Unit? That’s the imperial organization tasked with overseeing lords, correct?”

“Yes. They were originally called the Imperial Inspection Bureau, but they gave themselves a new name.”

The organization had been created to monitor local lords and curb corruption—a genuine initiative by the Emperor to win the hearts of the people.

“They hadn’t appeared until now, but as soon as you show up, they’re snooping around the Far East,” Ruri said, sounding annoyed.

She wasn’t wrong.

“Do you know why? Because there was nothing for them to gain before.”

“Nothing to gain?”

“They call themselves the Purge Unit, but in reality, they’re just a group that extorts money from the lords.”

What had started as a bold attempt by the Emperor to curb corruption quickly lost its purpose and degenerated. Eventually, the Purge Unit became nothing more than state-sanctioned thugs who used the guise of inspections and anti-corruption efforts to extort money from lords.

Before Ferda’s arrival, what was Baldrova’s royal territory like? The castle had been neglected, and the local lords were merely the Empire’s frontline shield, relying entirely on Valdrovafor survival. The area had been abandoned because it was thought dangerous, and the cost of traveling there was deemed too high.

“They’re no different from wandering knights,” Ruri remarked.
“The only difference is whether they extort lords or commoners.”

“If they’re pretending it’s an inspection just to extort money… they’ll likely question you about the matter of Tesalos Walcher. Will that be a problem?”

The killing of a noble was a serious crime. The local lords who witnessed it would undoubtedly have reported it to the Empire.

“Well, they’ll bring up the noble-killing charge, but that’ll only be one of the accusations.”

“Are there other crimes?”

“There aren’t, but they’ll invent some.”

Ferda, being from a family of knights, already knew what the Purge Unit would bring up first—a word that made the hearts of lords race:

“They’ll accuse me of plotting and stirring up rebellion.”

Few accusations were more dangerous. It was a charge that could be twisted to fit any situation, and if it stuck, it could cost you your head. The Purge Unit would surely fabricate charges and press forward with them.

“It’s better not to even talk to them. Shall we just drive them away?” Ruri asked.

Ferda shook his head.

“No. Since they’ve come all this way, we should make proper use of them.”

“Make use of them?”

“These people are deeply embedded in the heart of the Arken Empire. If we can sway them, think of how convenient that would be.”

“Hmm…”

In their hearts was nothing but blind greed, and their only faith lay in the insignia pinned to their chests. By nature, they were riddled with weaknesses.

“Those scum worse than trash are stepping into our castle…”, Ruri muttered. She openly loathed the Purge Unit. Her disdain for knights in general had reached an all-time high. It was understandable. She had recently suffered through the unbearable stench and was even told by Valdrovathat she “smelled.”

“Ferda,” she said.
“What is it?”
“Shouldn’t those ignorant fools scrub themselves clean before entering the castle?”

They absolutely should. The look on her face said she might start a rebellion if they didn’t.

“Do as you wish.”
“Thank you.”

With Ferda’s permission, Ruri quickly left to prepare bathwater.

Karl Harvest

As the eldest son of the Harvest family, a family of knights, Karl was currently serving as the leader of a Purge Unit inspection team. While the position of a team leader wasn’t particularly glamorous, Karl had no complaints. It was one of the few positions where, as a knight, he could suppress local lords and act like a king.

Recently, they’d found a new target: Ferda Baldrova, a man who had been driven out of the Rosnova family and was said to be engaged to the King of Baldrova.

At first, everyone mocked him. They called him a fool who had chosen to be torn apart by the King of Valdrovarather than remain a noble. But he hadn’t been torn apart. Instead, he was thriving.

Since his arrival in the royal territory, the long-stagnant East had begun to show signs of growth. For now, the Pascal Trading Company had set up a branch office, but soon merchants would start traveling back and forth regularly. When that happened, large amounts of money would flow through the East. What had once been dismissed as worthless land would now be seen as a lucrative opportunity.

The Purge Unit, an imperial institution, was the first to catch the scent of this opportunity. It was inevitable that the territory’s growth would accelerate. But the Purge Unit underestimated Ferda’s achievements.

‘This must mean Baldrova’s treasures have piled up significantly.’

They couldn’t imagine that Ferda’s capabilities had made it possible. To them, he was just an inexperienced brat expelled from the Rosnova family.

‘Since the current Regent is a former knight, they’ll know exactly how we operate.’

As someone from a knightly family, Ferda would undoubtedly understand the Purge Unit’s ways. Perhaps this would make him easier to deal with than other lords. He would likely know that the Purge Unit didn’t push too hard as long as they were paid off appropriately.

‘We have to extort as much as we can while there’s still plenty to take.’

The royal territory was dangerous, and Baldrova’s wealth and treasures were few.

‘But I can’t afford to underestimate him either.’

Karl wasn’t foolish enough to believe everything would go exactly as planned.

When intoxicated by power beyond one’s station, people are bound to change. If Ferda, after rising to the position of Regent, ever started to act arrogantly, he needed to be crushed. Karl was, of course, prepared for such a situation.

“Has the response to the letter I sent earlier arrived?”

To finalize his preparations, Karl had sent a letter to Count Consillus. His adjutant, who had checked the reply, answered, “Yes. He’s reportedly on his way to ValdrovaCastle as we speak. We can proceed without him for now.”

“Good,” Karl said with a sly smile. Count Consillus was not only the informant who had provided information about Ferda Valdrovabut also a valuable ally who would strengthen the Purge Unit’s authority and serve as a witness. With this, Karl now held all the cards necessary to crush Ferda Baldrova. No matter how Ferda tried to resist, there would be no escape from the Purge Unit’s pressure.

At last, they arrived at the gates of the inner castle. The area was desolate, with no servants in sight. Most lords would employ numerous servants to showcase their wealth and dignity, but all they saw as they entered were a man with gray hair in formal attire and a girl dressed in a maid’s uniform. The man stood with his hands behind his back, waiting for them as if he had anticipated their arrival.

‘That must be him.’

The third son expelled from the Rosnova family. As the rumors said, his tall figure stood out, but his body was slender and frail. He looked far too weak to be someone from a family of knights.

‘But his eyes… they’re sharp, as one might expect of a regent.’

His gaze carried depth, and his expression conveyed that he would not be an easy opponent. Ordinary people might feel nervous under such a stare, but Karl had encountered countless situations like this. He had met many men who exuded arrogance but ultimately turned out to be all show and no substance. He had seen them crumble as well.

‘In the end, he’s just the dragon’s consort.’

To Karl, Ferda looked like nothing more than a pretentious boy.

Hiding his mocking smile beneath his helmet, Karl dismounted his horse and removed his helmet. His face, sharp and angular, matched the image of a knightly eldest son.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Ferda Rosnova! I am Karl, the eldest son of the Harvest family and a team leader in the Purge Unit, a division directly under the Imperial Household.”

Ferda returned the greeting courteously.

“A pleasure to meet you as well, Sir Karl Harvest. However, I have long since severed ties with the Rosnova family. I would prefer if you addressed me as Ferda Baldrova.”

“My apologies.”

It wasn’t a mistake on his part. He had deliberately called him by the Rosnova name to remind Ferda of his former status. The subtext was clear: We’re both from knightly families, so you know what this is about, don’t you?

Of course, this small trick meant nothing to Ferda.

“What brings the Purge Unit, tasked with protecting the Empire’s citizens, to a place like this? There are no citizens in need of protection within ValdrovaCastle yet.”

“This isn’t the kind of conversation to have while standing outside. How about we go inside to talk?”

“Go inside to talk…?”

Ferda was standing at the gates of the inner castle, welcoming them. He glanced over his shoulder and made eye contact with the young maid. When she nodded, he turned back to Karl.

“You may, but only if you follow the rules of this castle. Is that acceptable?”

“What rules might those be?”

“A recent rule states that all knights must bathe thoroughly before entering.”

Karl frowned. The comment sounded like an outright insult, implying they smelled.

“Who made such an absurd rule?”

The Red Dragon, Baldrova’s maid, Ruri Silverwind.

However, Ferda answered simply:

“I did.”

He wanted to avoid unnecessary back and forth. Pointing at Karl’s silver-plated armor with his chin, Ferda continued:

“Wearing something so heavy and sweaty increases the risk of illness. Especially in a place like the Far East, where ominous energies linger. Maintaining cleanliness is a priority, which is why I implemented this rule.”

“Hmm…”

Karl didn’t like the idea of having to bathe in another lord’s domain, but following the rules of the territory he was visiting took precedence. Moreover, he had sensed the unpleasant energy of the East throughout his journey.

“Understood. Since we are in the King’s Territory, we shall follow its rules.”

“Thank you.”

Ferda turned slightly to glance at Ruri, who had been waiting nearby. Ruri approached, looking as though she had been waiting for this moment, and greeted the inspectors with a bow.

“Welcome to ValdrovaCastle. My name is Ruri, and I’ll be assisting you with your baths. Please, this way.”

Karl couldn’t hide his disappointment. Ruri was a beauty with silver hair and silver eyes, but her figure was that of a slender girl without any curves. The thought of a plain-looking girl helping with the bath instantly killed any expectations he might have had.

‘I’ll just get it over with quickly,’ he thought.

Of course, that was only Karl’s assumption.

‘I’ll make sure not a single speck of dirt remains on them,’ Ruri resolved. She was more serious than ever, holding a rough scrubbing sponge in her hand. Even the spirits she had summoned were armed with sponges, waiting in the bathhouse, ready to assist. Determined to scrub away every ounce of filth clinging to their skin, she greeted the inspectors with full enthusiasm.

“Aaaaah!”
“Save me!”
“Ack! Aaaargh!”

That day, ValdrovaCastle echoed with screams.

After their baths, Ferda and Karl faced each other in the drawing room. Ferda discovered something surprising.

‘Their skin is much brighter than before.’

The difference was so stark it was as if an entire layer of skin had been peeled off. Karl, on the other hand, silently cursed to himself.

“Thank you for your… hospitality,” Karl muttered begrudgingly.

“Not at all. I didn’t expect such a warm reception myself. Please, have some tea.”

“Thank you.”

Karl and Ferda each sipped from their teacups. To keep the conversation flowing smoothly, Ferda brought up the topic.

“So, what brings the Purge Unit to my castle?”

“As I mentioned, we’re here to conduct an investigation. Do you know what charges you’re facing, Regent?”

“I don’t. That’s why I’m asking.”

“I see.”

So he’s playing ignorant. Karl moved on to deliver the line he had prepared.

“Regent Ferda Baldrova, you are under investigation for conspiracy and incitement of rebellion against the Empire. Do you understand?”

The charges were exactly what Ferda had expected. It was obvious, but he decided to play along for now.

“I see. So, are you here to pin a medal on me?”

“This is not the time to joke with an Imperial inspector,” Karl said, his tone growing stern.

“Was that a joke? You’re accusing me of conspiracy and rebellion, so I assumed you came to honor me. After all, the only crime I’ve committed is contributing to the development of this territory.”

“We are aware of your dedication to the Empire’s peace and prosperity, Regent. However, since allegations have been made, we have a duty to investigate.”

“And who makes the allegations?”

“I can’t disclose that. It’s classified information.”

More like there is no accuser. That’s why you can’t reveal one.

“I heard you recently signed a contract with the Pascal Trading Company.”

“That’s correct.”

“And you’re using their full financial support for road improvements and to procure scarce supplies?”

“It’s not entirely their money. ValdrovaCastle is contributing a sliver—just a token amount.”

They were covering about one percent of the costs. It had been Stefan’s suggestion to claim even a small stake.

“All of this could be grounds for an investigation into conspiracy and incitement of rebellion against the Empire.”