When the Emperor flipped to the second page of Lancer's report and saw the name "Honest," he froze for several seconds.
"Your Majesty?"
Seeing the Emperor's reaction, Budo turned toward Lancer in confusion, silently demanding answers. But Lancer remained expressionless.
In truth, the report itself wasn't particularly incriminating, but its implications were unmistakably provocative.
Everything recorded in those pages was factual: Ogre recruiting subordinates, cozying up to nobles, and lately reaching out towards Honest's circle. Each detail alone was innocuous, but stacked together—and presented in such turbulent times—they easily invited dark suspicions.
Observing the Emperor's grim face, Lancer knew his plan had worked.
Initially, he'd contemplated abusing the Emperor's authority to openly smear Honest, but quickly abandoned the idea. That sly old fox wouldn't leave evidence easily; carelessly throwing mud at him would only backfire.
Thus, he'd chosen an indirect route. From the current mood, it seemed he'd made the right call.
"Budo, read this yourself."
In a sour mood, the Emperor handed the report directly to Budo without another word.
Honest was one of the Emperor's most promising subordinates—he'd even considered him a potential successor once the current Prime Minister stepped down.
Not only was Honest gifted in finance, he was mild-tempered and widely respected. Though not a forceful figure, he had few enemies among the nobles. Originally just a minor border noble, Honest had risen steadily under the Emperor's patronage. But now…
Noting the Emperor's bleak expression, Budo quickly scanned through the two pages, his own face darkening.
"Lancer, you mentioned before your suspicions about Honest. But right now, there's only one thing I need to know—everything in this report, is it absolutely true?"
"Yes! Precisely because I once raised suspicion against him, I collected every piece of evidence and testimony myself to avoid personal bias. This report was written strictly from a neutral perspective. All documents and testimonies can be reviewed freely, and the key witness is currently under strict Imperial Guard custody!"
Lancer's answer was meant not only for Budo, but to reassure the Emperor as well.
Perhaps it wasn't entirely proper for Lancer to speak this way. Despite his strength growing vastly over the past year, in the grand scheme of Imperial politics he remained a mere leaf tossed upon stormy waves, forced to drift where they took him. Any misstep would spell his doom. Every plan he conceived now required the Emperor's direct backing.
After hearing Lancer's confirmation, the Emperor gave a slow nod.
"For now…continue the investigation. But first, we must deal decisively with the Empire's Intelligence Division."
The Emperor didn't want his suspicions to prove correct—but if they were, he had no choice. In any case, the crises involving both the Imperial Police and the Imperial Fist Temple had to be resolved first.
The Imperial Police maintained law and order within the Capital, arguably more critical in daily operations than even the Imperial Guard, whose primary duty was protecting the royal family. Without stable policing, the Capital would descend swiftly into chaos.
The Imperial Fist Temple, meanwhile, was one of the Empire's largest training grounds for mid-ranking military officers. Although past Emperors relied heavily on them, imperial oversight never faltered.
If either organization had faltered independently, it might have been seen as simple incompetence or oversight. But now, with both critical entities compromised, no one could have anticipated the first hammer of the Emperor's fury would strike the intelligence service.
...
Meanwhile, locked away in the palace dungeon, Deputy Chief Ogre paced in terror. Elsewhere, Bill wasn't faring much better.
Though he'd carefully severed all visible connections to Honest, he couldn't shake his unease. If the slippery fat bastard were ever caught, would he drag him down too?
He'd considered fleeing, but ultimately dismissed the idea. For now, until Honest was captured, Bill was relatively safe. Running prematurely would practically declare his guilt—and no one knew better than Bill the Empire's formidable reach. Ordinary assassins might pose no threat, but if a Teigu user was dispatched, he'd never survive. Years of comfort and privilege had eroded his skills, once unrivaled among Imperial spies, until he was dangerously rusty. He'd maintained only the barest minimum precautions, a habit from his cautious past.
But now, it seemed those old instincts would truly be tested.
Ordinary people found the dead of night mysterious and terrifying. Some attributed it to ancestral memories of predators, others to fear of the unknown. Bill, however, knew the best time for assassination was just before dawn—when people relaxed their guard, believing danger had passed.
Although anxious, he wasn't panicking. Just then, his ears caught faint footsteps.
They clearly didn't belong to his own subordinates. A frown creased his forehead as he took his first step forward—a wave of unease suddenly crashing through him.
Though long retired from frontline duties, Bill had once been among the best. His instincts screamed danger, and without hesitation, he lunged for the secret passage—
But…
Crackle!
Thunder roared, filling the room with blinding light.
As the glow faded, General Budo, clad in his imposing Teigu, calmly stepped through the doorway.
Surveying the hidden passage and the charred remains on the floor, Budo's expression never flickered. He gestured once, and a squad of Imperial Guards surged into the hidden corridor.
...
At the same time, Honest himself received an imperial summons.
"Summoning me to the palace? At this hour?"
Ordinarily, entering the palace at this late hour was strictly forbidden—after all, it housed the Emperor's harem. Men wandering freely inside would invite scandal. Normally, ministers summoned at night would be flattered, seeing it as proof of the Emperor's deep trust. Yet Honest felt only a heavy dread pressing upon him.
"Gozuki, tell the others to prepare."
"Yes, sir."
From a corner of what had appeared an empty room, a rasping voice answered. Honest drew a deep breath before stepping outside. Under the glittering expanse of stars, his nerves slowly calmed.
He no longer had any way out. Too many forces were now pushing him from behind—he'd been left with no choice at all.
---
T/N: heueheuhe finally
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
hehe every 100 followers on either instagram or twitter is 5 bonus chapters...? (for all tls ongoing)
discord.gg/wisetl
patreon.com/wisetl
instagram: hanbaowise
twitter: WiseKingOfUruk_