Emperor of Steel

Shortly after, Lazlie, who had returned back to the Nemesis for a short break was called upon.

Rudolf was furious when Lazlie entered the office.

“What the heck had happened for the noblemen to be aware of the knights which were secretly dispatched!”

The noblemen would have never asked for a hearing if they only had simple evidence.

They would have only asked for the hearing if they could lay their hands on solid evidence or witnesses.

“I, I too am not aware of the reason.”

Only a very few heads of the rebels, including Duke Ferrierd, knew about the Flying Dragons mercenaries to be the Baroque Empire’s knights and soldiers.

And all the leaders of the rebellion were buried into the soil, even those who escaped from the battle were killed later on.

However, it was unthinkable on how the facts of their interference of the civil war had reached the noblemen of Baroque.

“I will investigate it right away. If there is any kind of evidence, I will destroy them right away and if there are any witnesses, I will make sure that their mouths won’t open again.”

Lazlie was determined and resolved to complete the task, but Rudolf’s eye’s didn’t seem to soften.

“I thought that you were the successor of your father’s. But these days, I keep getting disappointed in you. Make sure to make no more mistakes from your side.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“Stop all that and move.”

When Rudolf asked them to leave, Voltas and Lazlie both stepped out of the office.

“Father, how in the world did such things happen?”

Lazlie, feeling upset by the words of the Emperor, complained to his father.

And Count Voltas, who wasn’t feeling much different from his son, sighed.

“It all happened so sudden that I have no clue as to what the reasons are. However, according to the reports of the spies who have infiltrated the noblemen, they seem to have a definite witness.”

“A witness?” Asked Lazlie.

“Yeah, I don’t know the identity, but seeing how they have proceeded, it mush be a high ranking noble from the Holy Empire or the retainers from Duke Ferrierd.”

“That can’t be. None of them had survived.”

Those who knew about Lazlie and Ferrierd were all on board the ship.

And Lazlie was the one who had cut off their limbs and fed them to the sharks in the sea.

Then, how could a witness have come out, that too all of a sudden?

“Anyway, think of this to be your last chance, and try your best.” Said Voltas.

“Understood, father.”

Otherwise, the operation to crush the power of the Holy Arthenia Empire using the rebellion as an excuse wouldn’t have turned successful.

No, rather, after the rebellion, Archbishop Constantine, the former regent was dismissed and the Pope was known to have turned rather friendly with all the groups, and that she was cultivating public sentiment and gradually gaining stability in the Empire.

‘The rebellion didn’t tear off the Holy Empire nor was the Pope assassinated. If this fails, I will no longer be in the grace of his Majesty.’

And if Lazlie failed, the family would be shaken.

Lazlie, gritting his teeth, vowed to solve the problem regardless of the means and methods.

When Lazlie was summoned to Emperor Rudolf,

Marquis Mayers was laughing wholeheartedly in his residence in the capital.

“Hu hu hu. I wonder how Rudolf and the other nobles of the Imperial are looking right now!”

“Won’t they be working very swiftly since fire just fell on their legs? They might try to find out who the witnesses are and handle them.”

Aslan, who was with Marquis Mayers, smiled.

When he thought of Emperor Rudolf and Lazlie being flustered, laughter came onto his lips.

“Then the Hydra will be on the move.”

“And what could Hydra be?”

Marquis Mayers began to explain Aslan’s question.

“That is a secret assassination organization which gathers special assassin and makes them work for the Baroque Imperial family. In the past, those who bothered the family were killed by using them.”

“… so, they don’t seem to be such great?”

“For what are you looking like that?” Asked Mayers.

At the question from Marquis Mayers, Aslan spoke his thoughts.

“If they really are such great forces, wouldn’t they have already tried to get rid of Marquis and Duke Butler?”

At the answer from Aslan, Mayers smiled. It was like looking at an innocent child.

“Do you know anything about the short knife?”

“Are you talking about the dagger?” Asked Aslan.

“What do you think about the dagger as a weapon? Why do you think that it is effective to use it in the open and swing in the back streets?” Asked Mayers.

“No. It would be better to hide it and then pierce it.”

“Yes. The weapon one should cherish. Hydra is an organization which will be used like a dagger.”

Aslan quickly understood the meaning of Mayers words.

And one other thing.

If he was aware enough to have grasped the organizations of the Imperial family, Marquis Mayers was prepared for it.

“I guess there is a dagger that marquis has too.”

“Well, rather than an offensive weapon, mine is more like a shield.” Answered Mayers.

“I wonder what kind of shield it is.”

However, Marquis didn’t answer to Aslan’s curiosity.

“You will know soon. When they will come over here to take the life of yours.”

With that, Mayers said no more, nor did Aslan ask anything.

And life wasn’t something that could be wasted to see such things.

If there was anything scary, it was to die in vain without completing his revenge.

So, he wanted the Marquis to play as he wanted to get his results.

And seeing how things were going on, he was glad to have approached the Marquis.

However, there was an unfortunate thing.

‘It would have been a lot better if there were documents that could be used as decisive evidence.’

Based on his testimony, Marquis Mayers was trying to make and gather evidence, however, it would be difficult to get perfect copies.

‘Half of the evidence was stolen, and the other half was lost… and the proof is expensive for saving one’s life.’

The more he thought, the more saddening it was for Aslan.

And the bitter expression of Aslan wasn’t easily erased.