Chapter 43: Scheduled to Fall

Imperial Capital : Renokhonan Duke’s Mansion

Cassis, summoned by the Duke of Renokhonan early in the morning, entered the office.

As he opened the door, he saw Crown Prince Fedelian Rogino sitting there.

In front of him, Duke Renokhonan was sitting, his anger barely held in check, looking as if he might explode at any moment.

Realizing that the atmosphere was tense, Cassis’ eyes darkened.

“Sit down.”

The Duke’s voice was dry. He was clearly angry, but he was trying to suppress his fury, probably because the Crown Prince was present.

Cassis sat on the sofa without saying a word. He now faced Crown Prince Fedelian Rogino, who arrogantly grinned and held his head high.

Cassis thought the attitude was disrespectful, but he had no words to say. 

As a duke’s younger son and the crown prince, it was only natural for them to respect each other. But the situation was different now. The clear reason they were here was to hold Cassis accountable for his actions.

“Renokhonan’s younger son. You’ve really done something astonishing. It’s almost impossible to watch with open eyes, haha. My heart is heavy, truly.”

Fedelian smiled slyly as he spoke. His cold golden eyes clearly conveyed the meaning behind his words.

“You’ve caused quite a big mess. So big, I can barely look at it with my own two eyes.”

“…Your Highness, I am truly sorry for this incident.”

Duke Renokhonan spoke quietly. His voice was low and heavy.

“Sorry?”

Fedelian tilted his head and sneered.

“When did the Duke start apologizing so often?”

The air in the room froze. Cassis’ heavy breathing could be heard, but still, he didn’t open his mouth.

“It’s quite the amusing scene, isn’t it? Wouldn’t you agree?”

Fedelian’s sharp gaze was locked on Duke Renokhonan. This was a stare that would never have been allowed in normal circumstances, but in the current situation, where Cassis’ guilt was evident, due to his position of power.

Especially since the Crown Prince himself was in charge of this investigation.

“I will do my best to reduce the punishment, considering the Renokhonan name, but I cannot make any promises. Attempting to interfere with the reconnaissance mission is on the level of treason.”

If the monster outbreak were to occur, the damage would be uncontrollable. But Cassis had interfered with the reconnaissance mission? That was clearly treason.

“You needn’t worry, young lord. You won’t be executed. Given your achievements on the battlefield, you’ll likely only be stripped of all titles and privileges.”

Being stripped of all titles and privileges meant death for a noble.

Cassis lowered his head, his fists clenched tightly enough that veins were bulging from his hands, but he didn’t speak.

“Greed always leads to such consequences. You’d do well to remember that. Though, I’m not sure you’ll even be able to indulge in any more greed once your privileges are stripped.”

Fedelian smirked as he glanced at Cassis. He smiled, but his eyes were sharp.

“I’ll leave now, since I’ve said what I needed to. You’ll receive a summons from the royal family soon. Make sure to attend the trial.”

With that, he left the office.

Click

As the door closed, Duke Renokhonan slowly spoke.

“Didn’t I tell you to be careful?”

“FOOL!”

Tsk, tsk. Duke Renokhonan shook his head and clicked his tongue.

“Are you really willing to sell your family’s honor for the sake of one woman? Did you think everything would go well just because you were a younger son of Renokhonan?”

Cassis deeply lowered his head at the Duke’s words. The bitterness and anger still tangled within him, but he had nothing to say in his defense.

“I’m sorry.”

That was all he could say.

Duke Renokhonan scowled and clicked his tongue again. It was humiliating for the eldest son of the Renokhonan family to have caused such a scandal.

“As the Crown Prince said, you won’t be executed. I’ll make sure it doesn’t come to that. You’ll remain confined and reflect until the summons for the trial comes.”

With that, Duke Renokhonan waved his hand, signaling for Cassis to leave.

“I’ll be going now. I’m sorry.”

Cassis stood, bowing politely, and left the office.

As he walked down the corridor of the mansion, he thought to himself.

“…I was too hasty.”

He had spent his whole life on the battlefield, and all the strategies were planned by his father, Duke Renokhonan. Cassis, who only knew how to cut down enemies mercilessly with his mana blade, wasn’t experienced in handling situations like this.

He should have approached things more carefully, but the thought of her being tainted by Yohan Harssen drove him to irrationality.

But he wasn’t going to give up yet.

“Even if I fall into the abyss, I will never give up on Francia.”

Now that he had lost everything, it was time for him to take action.

*    *    *

As usual, Yohan was going about his work when he heard some news.

Cassis Renokhonan, the young lord of Renokhonan, had been dismissed from his position as the deputy of the first office. The position was naturally taken over by his assistant.

“Things are going well.”

As they say, the enemy of my enemy is my ally. Though Yohan didn’t like the Crown Prince’s ulterior motives, he was glad the Crown Prince was being helpful in this case.

Even if the Crown Prince’s intentions were not pure, his position made him a useful tool in dealing with Cassis Renokhonan.

“I wonder when the trial will happen.”

It took time to gather all the details in the royal family, so it wouldn’t happen immediately.

Still, there was no escaping for him. The Crown Prince would keep pressing the issue.

“What are you thinking so deeply about?”

At that moment, Francia, who was sitting next to him, tilted her head and asked.

“I think things are going well. Cassis Renokhonan, who had been targeting Francia, is now being identified as the culprit in the recent attack and is on the verge of falling apart.”

Yohan smiled slyly and gently stroked Francia’s hair.

She seemed to enjoy the touch, and held his hand, feeling its warmth.

“I’m glad he got what was coming to him for all he’s done.”

As he continued to stroke her hair, Yohan’s hand moved to her cheek. Francia accepted the touch quietly.

“Everything will go well from here on out.”

Her skin was smooth and soft, and her warmth was intoxicating. Yohan found himself absentmindedly caressing her more.

“Are you going to keep doing that?”

“Ah, sorry. It just feels so good.”

“I’m not angry.”

When Yohan hurriedly pulled his hand away, Francia grabbed it again and gently pressed it to her cheek.

“Anytime, anywhere, you can touch me. I’m yours, after all.”

Francia, smiling as she held his hand, gazed at him with eyes that shimmered like ruby red.

“There’s no such thing as a happy man.”

“Why not?”

“Because he’s a man who already has everything.” Francia smiled softly, her voice filled with warmth.

“I’m yours, Yohan.” 

After a quick glance around, Francia, realizing no one was around, leaned into Yohan’s embrace.

“Mm…”

She took a deep breath, savoring Yohan’s scent, and lightly trembled, clearly satisfied.

“How about we walk around Imperial Capital today? We couldn’t go during the Harvest Festival last time.”

Francia, who had been disappointed that they couldn’t go together last time, was determined to get a definite answer.

Yohan smiled at her cuteness and nodded while gently patting her head.

“Sounds good. The reconnaissance mission is over, and the situation with the Sanburg caves has stabilized, so we should be able to leave early. We can take a walk before heading back to the mansion.”

Francia’s face brightened instantly. Yohan was always so willing.

“Great! I’ll finish everything quickly. You can’t change your mind, okay?”

“Of course.”

Francia clenched her fists and focused on the paperwork on the desk, eager to finish it. Her enthusiasm was charming.

‘But I don’t really have anything to do today.’

After taking on a series of high-priority missions, there were no new orders. 

It was natural, given the recent chaos with the Ruvela mission and the monster outbreak during the reconnaissance.

The nobility and royal officials weren’t like black-market companies.

“The special-grade mage…Harssen”

Yohan tapped his pen absentmindedly as he tried to distract himself from the monotony when someone called his name.

“Oh, Merdin, a first-class knight. What’s going on?”

Merdin, who had always been friendly with Yohan, was standing there.

“Captain has called for you.”

“The captain?”

Francia, who had been quietly listening while working, suddenly turned her head. Her eyes were trembling.

“Isn’t it another mission…?”

Her worried question. They had just made plans to go around Imperial Capital, but if a new mission came in, it would ruin their date.

Yohan gently brushed her hair aside and smiled.

“I don’t think it’s a mission. We’ve been handling a lot lately.”

“Well, that’s a relief…”

Seeing Francia, who looked deflated from unnecessary worries, Yohan smiled slightly before turning to Merdin.

“Let’s go now.”

“Yes.”

They stood up and headed towards the changing room. After three knocks, they entered, and Fedelian was waiting in the office.

“You’re here.”

Fedelian gave a slight nod, gesturing toward the sofa. It was amusing that he no longer felt the need to be formal. Since he knew everything, there was no need to pretend anymore.

Yohan sat down on the sofa.

“You’ve heard that the Viscount of Renokhonen has been dismissed, right?”

“Of course.”

“The matter has been handled well. A trial will be held.”

“Do you have any thoughts on the trial’s outcome?”

“Hm.”

Fedelian stroked his chin, furrowing his brows before speaking.

“Given the position, the death sentence is impossible. He will likely be stripped of all authority and rights. He will no longer be the Viscount of Renokhonen. He’ll either have to climb back up from the bottom or fade into oblivion. Those are his two choices.”

The punishment he would receive was expected. It was regrettable, but unavoidable. After all, the Renokhonen family was deeply entwined.

“Anyway, the reason I called you here is simple. You’ve been on many missions lately, and it would be unethical to assign you more work right now. You may leave.”

Had Cassis been the one in charge, he would have forced even more tasks on him, but Fedelian was different. He knew how to separate work and personal matters.

“I understand.”

As Yohan turned to leave the office, Fedelian called out to him again.

“Oh, Harssen, the Grand Mage.”

“What is it?”

Yohan tilted his head in curiosity, and Fedelian, with a measured gaze, spoke in a low voice.

“I’ll ask you again. Has anything happened between you and my fiancée?”

Fedelian’s tone was indifferent, but his eyes were sharply studying Yohan’s reaction.

“Lately, her condition has been strange. She seems lost in thought, unable to focus on her work. She becomes absent-minded even during conversations.”

At the moment, Rudella had not been able to handle most of her tasks. More precisely, her processing speed had noticeably slowed.

“She started acting this way right after going on a mission with you. When the ambush happened, I wondered if something else occurred, so I’m asking you.”

Fedelian wasn’t truly concerned about his fiancée. He had only heard from the Empress that something seemed off with her lately. He was merely asking out of courtesy. He had no interest in Rudella, after all. She was simply a thorn in his side that could prevent him from achieving his goals.

“I’m not sure. There’s nothing that stands out. Perhaps she was just in shock. I think she’ll recover with time.”

In truth, there were some suspicious things about Rudella, and Yohan had a strong hunch that she had feelings beyond mere friendship for him. However, he wasn’t foolish enough to say that outright.

If he mentioned anything like her avoiding eye contact, stuttering, or acting oddly around him, Fedelian would catch on immediately.

“I see. Alright then.”

Fedelian waved dismissively, clearly uninterested. His casual gesture made it clear that to him, Rudella was nothing more than a tool.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

Though the thought of Rudella made him uncomfortable, Yohan didn’t show it. He offered a polite farewell and left the office.

As he walked down the public corridor, he couldn’t help but smile slightly.

“I’ve taken care of the business. Now, I can just focus on the date with Francia.”

His steps felt lighter.

Cassis’s downfall was just the beginning. The path ahead would not be smooth, but for now, his focus was clear.

Francia was waiting for him.