Chapter 386 - Investigating the Assassination
Investigating the Assassination
The palace had been in an uproar since morning. The emperor, the head of the empire and a highly-respected person, was almost killed. Emperor Kaglai escaped certain death thanks to a quick application of Healing magic. However, the severe blood loss and the poison on the blade had left him in a comatose state.
In the absence of the Emperor, Pri Minister Sakakimiya convened the Imperial Council, the highest-ranking body running the empire.
「That is the current situation.」
The cabinet ministers listened to the Pri Minister’s briefing with pale faces. They had co running to the palace as soon as they received word of the incident. A few were away from the capital for official business, but express ssengers were already on their way to deliver the news.
「Damn it. Who would dare take the life of His Majesty, the Empire’s greatest treasure?! They will not get away with this!」said a large, fierce-looking man, the Minister of the Right, the person in charge of dostic affairs. He raised a fist as big as a child’s head and slamd it down on the table, shaking it.
To the left of the Pri Minister sat the Minister of the Left, also known as the Minister of Military Affairs, the man on top of the empire’s army. Contrary to what his title might imply, he was a lanky man.
「Now, now. Let us calm down.」he said.「What we should do is pray for His Majesty’s recovery.」
「Nonsense! We can’t take such a weak stance! And you call yourself the Minister of Military Affairs?!」
「Settle down.」the Pri Minister intervened.「The Minister of the Left is correct, in that we should not be rash.」
The Minister of the Right backed down, while the Minister of the Left looked relieved, putting his hand to his chest.
Most of the faces of people present were red with anger. They were conservative nobles who had served the Empire since its foundation. Although belonging to the human race, the Pri Minister included, none of them had any qualms serving a Man Gno.
The commander of the Imperial guards, an elderly man with a handlebar moustache, entered the conference room.
「Your Excellency, gentlen, we have conducted a detailed investigation, and I have co here to give a report.」the man said.
「Very well. Go on.」
「Sir.」
The commander ordered his n to bring the weapon—a vicious dagger. Its thirty-centiter long blade was dark red from blood.
The room stirred.
「This is the weapon used. The perpetrator infiltrated His Majesty’s bedroom and stabbed him in the neck with it. But for so reason, they failed. Perhaps His Majesty noticed the assassin and managed to dodge it. His Majesty rang the bell, prompting the guards to enter the room. Then the assassin escaped.」
「How despicable.」said one cabinet minister.
「They failed to catch the assassin?」another added.
The Pri Minister approached one of the guards, wore the glove given to him, and lifted the dagger.
「Hmm… Its center of gravity is much closer to the front.」
「Yes. It is an unusual type of dagger. There is probably no particular reason for it. It may simply be because the blade is long, making the front heavier than the hilt. A blacksmith that handles this type of weapon is currently examining it.」
「Hmm…」The Pri Minister returned the dagger, deep in thought.
「Commander!」the Minister of the Right howled.「There is sothing wrong with your statent!」
「What would that be?」
「His Majesty rang the bell, and the guards in the hallway entered his room. If that were the case, they should’ve seen the assassin!」
「Yes, that is a sensible assumption. But the guards testified that there was no one in the room besides His Majesty.」
「Did they escape through the window?」
「No, sir. The window was locked.」
「Then either they didn’t see clearly or they overlooked sothing!」
「We find that unlikely, sir. If it was just one or two people, they could’ve missed sothing in a dark room. But the cri took place right about the ti for a shift change. Four n couldn’t possibly miss anything.」
「Then where did the assassin go?!」
Silence fell.
The commander frowned.「We suspect the assassin to be a master spy, able to hide themselves even from four guards. Apparently a person that ets that criteria visited His Majesty behind closed doors last night as a guest.」
「What?! Pri Minister, do you know about this?!」
The man nodded.
「A spy so skilled that he earned His Majesty’s favor. He could easily hide from four imperial guards.」The commander eyed the Pri Minister fiercely, and continued.「He is known as Silver Face.」
After the Pri Minister adjourned the stormy eting, he hurried back to his office inside the palace. The room was large, but crowded with piles of docunts and letters, filling the office with the sll of paper. His secretaries were waiting for him. As soon as he returned, they ushered him to the reception table.
「How did the eting go?」
「Extrely bad. They will move on the assumption that Silver Face is the assassin. Did you find out where he is?」
「We lost track of him since last night.」
「Damn it. We cannot even defend him when he is acting suspicious. Did Silver Face really attempt to assassinate His Majesty? No, he does not have any reason to cause such a disturbance.」
「Your guests are waiting for you, Mr. Pri Minister.」
Pushing aside a pile of pamphlets and books, they managed to clear out the table for the guest. Sipping her tea, the woman was wearing commoner clothes, out-of-place in the Imperial Palace where nobles strode about. But she showed no sign of being bothered by her appearance. She was calm and composed.
「I apologize for making you wait, Lady Luna.」
「…It’s fine.」the guest answered after a peculiar pause. Her lancholic eyes were not directed at the Pri Minister sitting across from her. It was not even clear where she was looking.
「I trust my secretaries have inford you of the situation.」
Luna nodded.
「We are looking for Silver Face. It pains to ask you, a rank S adventurer, for help on a matter like this…」
「…It’s quite all right. I have t him once already…」
「Co to think of it, Silver Face showed up at the Adventurers Guild, didn’t he?」
「…But he is not the one who attempted the assassination.」
The Pri Minister was taken aback at her firm statent.
「Do you have proof?」
Luna shook her head.「…It’s just a feeling.」
「I see… Your intuition is always right. If only we could talk to His Majesty directly, I’m sure the investigation will proceed much more smoothly. Right now, all we can do is pray and wait. Lady Luna, I ask you to search for Silver Face.」
Luna nodded and stood up. She left, her footsteps not making a sound, as though there was no one there from the start.
「Your Excellency. Lady Luna may be a rank S adventurer, but I think finding Silver Face won’t be easy. We don’t have much to go on.」a secretary said as soon as he confird that she was gone.
「The sa goes for the knights and soldiers. Searching for Silver Face is difficult for anyone. If Lady Luna can’t do it, then no one in the world can.」
「That is true.」
「Our problem right now is not Silver Face, but the identity of the assassin. It’s unthinkable for them to simply escape without finishing the job. He would prioritize the death of their target over their escape.」
「That is a great point, sir. But the guards didn’t see anyone.」
「Hmm… I find it hard to believe, but…」the Pri Minister quickly returned to his desk and muttered in a voice that only he could hear.「Perhaps His Majesty did it himself. But I just don’t know why…」
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