Chapter 191. The Key to Taking Down the Empire

The moment the Kraken, the disaster of the Blue Sea, fell, the dark clouds that had covered the sky coincidentally parted, and sunlight poured down.

It was a change that appeared as soon as Ron defeated the monster, as if the storm had been the Kraken's doing all along.

Of course, it wasn't true, but that didn't matter right now.

“It's Ron!”

“Ron! Ron!”

To the people of the port, Ron was already no different from a king of the sea.

Every time he went out to sea, small and large miracles followed, and today was no exception.

And now that he had defeated the disaster of the Blue Sea, in this moment, he seemed not just a king, but a god.

“Ron has calmed the sea!”

Ron, who was regarded as a belief by the fishermen, neither refused their cheers nor stepped forward to respond.

Meanwhile, Evan, who had returned late by swimming, wore a bitter expression seeing that people's gazes were solely fixed on Ron.

‘Well, it's not the first time I've been treated like this…… but this time, I'm a bit envious. I took out a couple of legs myself.’

As Evan was about to step onto the pier and get out of the water, a hand was extended in front of him.

The owner of that hand was none other than Ron.

“Good work.”

“You too.”

Evan took his hand and climbed onto the pier.

Amidst the loud shouts and cheers, the two continued their short conversation.

“Are you leaving right away?”

“No, there’s still a place I need to stop by.”

“That's good. Then I’ll go see Reina before I leave too.”

“Let's meet in three hours. That should be enough, right?”

“Alright.”

Ron of the Seven Stars headed to Torne 1st Street to make the final preparations for his lover.

Leaving him be, Evan made his way to the inn where the emissaries were staying to find the second person he needed to meet.

‘First, I need to change my clothes.’

* * *

Located a short distance from the port, it was the largest and most prosperous inn in the city.

The first-floor tavern was so crowded with people that there was no room to move, and among them were some familiar faces.

They were the sailors who had arrived here with the emissaries.

“Duke Evan?”

As soon as one of them spotted Evan, he stood up and approached.

“What brings you here?”

“Is Duke Belban here?”

“Ah…… yes. He is resting in the room at the end of the left corridor on the second floor.”

“I see.”

Evan nodded and went straight up the stairs.

As the sailor had told him, he reached the end of the corridor, stood before the door, and knocked with his finger.

—Knock, knock.

Soon, a deep voice echoed from within.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Evan Lafard.”

As soon as he stated his name, the door opened, and Evan bowed his head to Duke Belban, who was standing by the door, and offered his greetings.

“My greetings are late, Duke Belban.”

“Evan! I’m so glad you’re safe! By the way…… is the rumor true? I heard you participated in the war?”

As expected, Belban’s first concern was his well-being.

Evan had no intention of avoiding the question.

It was something that couldn't be hidden in the first place.

“That is correct.”

“Hah! I don’t know why someone as brilliant as you would make such a decision…… but Anton, and Princess Jaina as well, must be following you for a reason.”

“Yes. And I, too, have something I must resolve here. That affair will eventually bring peace to the kingdom, beyond the continent.”

A firm will contained within Evan’s resolute tone.

Belban had already felt that will firsthand through Anton and Jaina.

‘There must be a reason why those two follow Duke Evan. On the surface, he might seem like the one who put the kingdom in a difficult position, but his intentions can by no means be taken lightly.’

Belban himself had a time in his youth when he couldn't control his hot-blooded spirit.

Of course, it was embarrassing to simply compare himself from back then to Evan, but he knew that it wasn't just a flame burning in Evan’s heart.

The man named Evan Lafard was a person who possessed both a hot heart and a cold head simultaneously.

“So, what brings you here? I doubt it’s just to ask after my well-being.”

“I did come to check on the state of the emissaries. However, I also came to ask a favor.”

“Heh heh, what is it? I’ll grant any request except asking me to join the war.”

Belban said it like a light joke, but Evan’s expression remained serious.

Just as Belban, feeling a momentary anxiety from the heavy atmosphere, was about to add another word, Evan slowly opened his mouth.

“Could you possibly hand over Rotman Reverk to me?”

“……What did you say?”

Belban’s face instantly hardened.

It was understandable.

Rotman Reverk was the only witness who could testify to the Empire’s atrocities.

But asking for his custody was no different from being told to hand over the only piece of evidence.

“Evan, I can overlook your personal deviations to some extent. It will be a diplomatic issue, but we will draw a line and respond to it as a personal matter.”

“Yes, for the sake of the kingdom, you must do so.”

“But this is different. Rotman Reverk is an important person to us. He is a witness we must use when protesting against the Empire.”

“I am well aware of that.”

“You know, yet you intend to take him? What is the reason, why?”

To Belban's sharp question, Evan answered without hesitation.

“Because the plan is not just to protest against the Empire, but to bring down the Empire itself.”

“……What? To destroy the Empire? Is that even a plausible thing to say?”

“It is possible. And it is something that can only be realized with Rotman.”

“Evan, what kind of absurd nonsense are you talking about now?”

“It seems you are not well-informed of the current situation because you have been staying here.”

Evan then explained the current state of the continent to Belban one by one.

From the kingdom's complete victory in the war between the Empire and the Solaid Kingdom, to the allied forces advancing deep into imperial territory with that momentum, only to be pushed back and currently in a standoff.

He relayed all the details without omission.

“……That is, surprising.”

Belban, who had been staying on the frontier and was unaware of the detailed circumstances, was literally shocked.

In his mind, the Empire had always been like a steadfast, shining sun, so this state of affairs was hard to believe.

However, it was an undeniable fact.

An unprecedented achievement in history had already been made.

“However, that advantage will not last long. The Empire will surely launch a counterattack, and before that, we must take Rotman, who knows the Empire’s secrets.”

“…….”

Belban fell into deep thought without a word.

He too knew that even if he officially protested to the Empire, they wouldn't even pretend to show genuine remorse.

They had always been that way.

It was merely an intention to divert the gazes of neighboring countries towards the kingdom by provoking their wariness.

But if what Evan was saying now was true, if the power to bring down the Empire could be gained just by handing over Rotman’s custody, what choice should Belban, who had to make a decision on behalf of the king now, make?

“……I should have just retired, how did I end up going through one troublesome thing after another.”

A heavy silence flowed with a deep sigh.

Belban closed his eyes for a moment then opened them, slowly went to the table, and tore out a piece of paper.

And he picked up a quill and wrote something down in one breath.

—Swish!

The unhesitating black line drew its final stroke, and he immediately handed the paper to Evan.

“Take it. If you go to the basement of this inn with this, the ones watching Rotman Reverk will release him.”

“Is there a detention facility in the basement?”

“It's not much of a facility. Just a storeroom-like place. Why, did you think we would treat the man who brought the kingdom to such a state properly?”

“No, sir. I was just curious.”

On the paper was a short and clear order to release the detained Rotman.

Evan took it and was about to turn away.

“Then I will be on my way.”

At that moment, Belban called him.

“Evan.”

“Yes?”

“Please…… take care of yourself.”

They hadn't been together long enough to build a deep bond, but that one phrase was filled with sincerity.

And his appearance overlapped with the faces of the many people he had left behind in the kingdom.

“……I understand. I will keep it in mind.”

It was an answer to Belban, and to everyone in the Kaien Kingdom.

* * *

Upon going down to the inn’s basement, two soldiers were guarding a door in a corner of a space that truly looked like a warehouse.

Seemingly belonging to the emissaries, they were chatting but were startled upon seeing Evan and saluted him at attention.

“You’ve arrived?”

“Thank you for your hard work. I’d like to take Rotman Reverk.”

Evan handed over the letter Belban had written.

As soon as the soldier read the contents, he nodded, unlocked the padlock, and stepped aside.

“It’s open.”

“Could you give us some time to talk alone?”

“Of course. Once he leaves, there’s no reason to guard, so we will head up first.”

As the soldiers left, Evan opened the firmly shut warehouse door.

Inside, Rotman Reverk was sitting on a chair with an expressionless face.

“You are……?”

“You can come out now. There is a place to go.”

“Where are we going? Are we returning to the kingdom?”

“No, we are going to the Empire.”

“But…… we should be in the middle of a war……”

Rotman seemed to be completely unaware of the current situation due to his confinement.

“It is because we are at war that you are needed. Please help us win this war. If you truly wish to atone.”

“……What must I do?”

“First, let me ask one thing. Did you know that Robern’s Knight Order still exists?”

“So they have finally shown themselves. If they have been deployed, it means the war has tilted to some extent……. Ah, to answer your question first, yes, I knew.”

Although he had been used by the Empire to the point of being brainwashed and sent to the kingdom, Rotman was quite skilled and knew some of the Empire’s secrets.

“I heard the one wearing an iron mask is the commander, do you know his identity for sure?”

“That, I do not know. Not a single person has seen him with his mask off.”

“I see…….”

Evan was already almost certain of the identity from the clue ‘the one with one ear missing,’ but he wanted to confirm it to account for any unforeseen variables.

“Then let's move on from this…… and leave with me right now. The Empire and the three kingdoms are currently in a standoff because of that knight order. You are needed to break through them.”

“I understand what you want, but I alone will not be enough. Their skills are by no means easy to deal with.”

“That is why I have recruited one of the Seven Stars who is here.”

“……That madman? Then the story changes.”

Rotman’s gaze changed.

The news of Ron Witterek’s participation in the war had piqued his interest.

“It seems I have no time to be idle here. Let’s go, I will tell you everything I know on the way.”

Rotman knew.

That Robern’s Knight Order revealing themselves was proof that the Empire had been pushed to the brink.

However, the knight order was the Empire’s final gateway and its most steadfast shield.

Therefore, a meticulous strategy was needed to bring them down.

“Yes. Let’s go.”

And Evan chose Ron Witterek and Rotman Reverk as the means to that breakthrough.

The two of them were the very key to bringing down the Empire.