DYBAR - Chapter 135 < Threat with Vikander's 'Thing' >

DYBAR - Chapter 135 < Threat with Vikander's 'Thing' >

Do Your Best And Regret

Meanwhile, the banquet hall of the Imperial Palace.

After the Crown Prince's sudden departure, nobles, including Count Comode, surrounded Baron Howard Interfield faster than anyone else. The nobles, who were one step behind, watched them with anxious eyes.

"You've been on a high note, Baron. I don't have anything to see unless it's a meeting."

"That's right. The tax rate is also the tax rate, but nobles should also take this opportunity to gather together. His Highness the Crown Prince values the Baron so much that he takes you away and does not even include us. Ha ha ha."

A social conversation took place.

However, Baron Interfield made eye contact with the brown-haired knight behind the group without saying a word.

The mournful nobles looked at each other in awkward silence. It was filled with a sense of nervousness that only they could relate to.

And at the basis of that anxiety were money Issues, such as the post-war compensation they did not receive in common, or the establishment of mineral tax rates.

Shit. Count Comode cursed under his breath. The banquet hall that was visible as far as the eye could see was much grander than the summer banquet.

It seems that the wealthy Imperial Palace is healthy enough to hold the usual Father's Day festival on such a grand scale, but their situation was different.

Unsettled bills piled up.

The businesses that had been launched in anticipation of war reparations were failing one after another, as if someone had sabotaged them, and were on the verge of bankruptcy.

In this situation, as word spread that the mineral tax rate would drop, investors were also recovering their investments.

This was out of the question. A high-ranking noble like him would give up on a vassal of the Grand Duke just for a little money.

But in the face of reality, the Count opened his eyes red and only groaned and let out a muffled sound. What should he say to at least receive compensation?

Meanwhile, someone who could not control his impatience first brought up the topic of compensation.

"Anyway, Baron. I thought about it carefully while attending my daughter's funeral, and it was only later that the regret of not taking care of my daughter came to me. But what can I do? Sadly, I have nothing to remember my daughter by, so I would like to set up a foundation for my daughter and support children in the same situation as my daughter."

"Me, me too! And since the Grand Duke has good intentions to help the people by lowering the mineral tax rate, why not have someone who knows the situation of the system join in? I will help you!"

Count Comode added belatedly. However, Baron Interfield's gaze was focused on the commoner knight behind him.

The first thing he did was get rid of the author!

"Anyway, even though he is a vassal of His Highness the Grand Duke, I think this is a difficult story for a commoner knight who has probably never done administrative work to hear. Did you say your last name was Kalt?"

It wasn't appropriate to remember commoners' last names.

Fortunately, the brown-haired knight was able to meet the Count. The Count gestured to another direction with his chin. Even mixing his words was unpleasant.

"Since we're officially at the banquet, how about having a little fun?"

"If you're so considerate, I'd be happy too."

He was Vikander's vassal, and he was glad he didn't show off. Seeing that he was more obedient than expected, Count Comode nodded his head with peace of mind. 

Soon, other nobles approached, pushed the knight away, and stood as if to protect Baron Interfield.

If the nobles had been a little keener, they would have noticed that the mouth of the commoner they looked down on was quivering and that the brown eyes were blinking as if they were asking him to trust Baron Interfield until the end.

But they didn't know.

They were just busy trying to figure out how to profit from the compensation and mineral taxes that were barely within their reach.

And he was busy hiding his anger at having to bow his head and beg someone like the Baron.

***

Many of the nobles latched onto Howard. As expected, they didn't seem to feel anything.

Just a little while ago, just for a moment, he was talking about the strange energy that exploded in him.

Winster unconsciously stroked his arm. Trying to swallow the rising tension, he looked around as if searching.

Those who felt the same energy as him were knights with some level of skill, including Howard, the commander of the 2nd Knights of the Imperial Palace, and the vice-leader of the 4th Knights, who were located a little away.

And the Prince.

Winster clearly saw the expression on his face that suddenly hardened during a grand dinner. From the strange gaze that was looking at them, to the airflow that stiffened for a moment.

He should have followed the Prince right away when he left. For a brief moment before the nobles surrounded him, Winster foolishly thought about the identity and origin of that energy.

Something disturbing is happening in the Imperial Palace that came to look for Jurgen.

Anyway, now was the right time to find Jurgen. Now all eyes are on Howard. Winster had to go to the constabulary prison immediately.

He headed outside the banquet hall. But the steps gradually became slower. In his mind, he was analyzing the energy he felt earlier instead of recalling the road to the police prison.

The energy colored the moment intensely, but it was somehow nice. He can't put it into words, but it's clear......!

"Well......"

It was an arrogant and overbearing voice as if it interrupted his thoughts. The colors are so clear that he can tell who it is right away.

"Isn't he the Grand Duke's faithful knight?"

It was the Prince. Only after seeing Count Hodges following behind, did Winster reluctantly bow his head.

".... To the little sun....."

Winster paused for a moment. The Prince, who was usually quick to interrupt others, was waiting for a courtesy from Winster, which was unusual for him.

He didn't want to cause any trouble.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"I understand that the banquet is not over yet. I guess you don't like my banquet, or not...."

The Prince twisted his mouth and smiled. It was the moment when the pitch-black pupil in the sea-colored eye was thinly torn vertically.

"Have I done something bad enough to make you want to go back to Vikander?"

"..."

It was strange. Clearly, the Crown Prince is an extremely stupid idiot. The Prince's gaze was now relaxed, like a snake facing a mouse.

Winster remained tense and answered in silence. Anyway, the Prince smiled and walked towards Winster.

"I still wanted to spend at least a little time with you and Lord Interfield."

"..."

"Let's go in together."

Contrary to his sentence, the door to the banquet hall was opened again. Even though he was away for a while and came back, the nobles at the banquet hall looked at the prince again.

"There will be plenty of time."

The voice that pierced his ears was meaningful. Winster stopped and looked at the Prince.

The Prince's gaze was excessively shiny. That strange gaze was surrounding Winster and Howard as if mocking them.

Someone hurriedly entered through the closed doors of the banquet hall.

"There was a big problem, Your Highness!"

At that moment, Winster noticed the corners of the Prince's lips rising as if he was satisfied.

But the smile disappeared in an instant, and instead, the Prince frowned. And he bowed his head towards the Emperor. The Emperor nodded as if giving permission.

"Kinson, you, a wizard, are making such a fuss at the banquet!"

"Forgive me for this audacity, Your Highness. It's an urgent matter."

When the elderly imperial wizard fidgeted and looked back and forth between the Prince and Winster, Winster thought something was wrong.

"Well,"

The wizard had to stop speaking in a hurry. But before Winster could move, the wizard closed his eyes and shouted.

"An explosive magical power was felt from the northern Vikander Territory!"

Vikander is one of the few places other than the imperial palace where there are wizards.

The wizard trailed off his words as if spitting out his blood.

"It's too shameful to even mention it....! It was clearly an aggressive and bitter energy directed at this system!"

As if the performer was surprised, the elegantly flowing melody ended sharply. While everyone was unable to hide their expressions of confusion, the Crown Prince looked at the crowd with a lazy expression.

"It's so bitter, I can't believe it...."

"I'm not talking about the spirit of treason."

"What a betrayal....! Prince, how could you say something so provocative?"

The Emperor roared with anger. The Prince looked back at the Emperor as if he were being polite, as his anger resounded throughout the banquet hall.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I said this in the sense that it could never happen. But..."

The Prince waited until the heavy breathing subsided and looked around the banquet hall once again. Meanwhile, Winster unconsciously clenched his fist. The atmosphere in the banquet hall was going strangely.

"The reason I am worried about it is because of what the Grand Duke said last time. Am I not the only one who remembers what he said when he said that all he wanted was not crumbs like property? Your Majesty."

With a subtle flow, as if what the Grand Duke wanted was treason.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince! Please stop saying such absurd things!" 

It seemed that Winster wasn't the only one who noticed this. One of the nobles bowed low and complained. The Prince shrugged his shoulders and smiled broadly.

"It seems like I said something serious for no reason. Don't jump to the conclusion that the Grand Duke is trying to revolt. What I said was strictly based on an assumption. Isn't that so, Lord Calter?"

The arrow was pointed at Winster again. The stares of the surrounding nobles who followed the arrow's trajectory were unusual. Majority and minority. Not only that, but the eyes of the nobles who were jealous of Vikander's wealth kept Winster and Howard at bay.

Suddenly, the knight approached and pushed Winster and Howard closer to the Prince. The Prince pretended not to notice and looked at the audience.

"Has anyone else felt this strange energy?"

"I am sorry to inform you, Your Highness. The vice-captain and I also sensed a strange energy a little while ago."

"The imperial palace knight commander and vice-captain each felt it, but of course you, as Vikander's knights, also felt it, right?"

"That's right."

"What a strange thing. I can't believe that the Vikander family members who had never been to the island felt a powerful energy that I had never felt before as they attended the banquet."

The voice was too loud to be considered talking to oneself. The Prince looked at Winster and Howard and smiled.

"Do you know anything about this situation?"

"No."

"Really? So how do you explain this coincidence?"

"Isn't the reason we are here because of the mineral tax rate adjustment? Your Highness is the one who postponed the decision on tax rate setting."

"Yes? You guys are still here...."

It was a cruel laugh that slowly revealed its fangs.

"Isn't it because of the imperial palace's secret documents about the mine?"

Then Leopold raised his voice before Winster could reply.

"How dare you try to gain an upper hand in things like mineral tax rates to extort the imperial palace's treasures, and then when I don't allow it, you protest in such a cruel way?"

"It's the imperial palace's treasure, it was originally Vikander's.......!"

Oops. The only people who knew about the original owner of the mine were the royal family and Vikander's close vassals. Winster, who was screaming in anger as he got in front of him, made a mistake, but it was already too late.

All the nobles heard was 'treasure of the imperial palace'. In their eyes, they were already guilty of encouraging rebellion.

As if on cue, the Prince shouted.

"From now on, all the nobles of the island, merchants, commoners, and at least one ant. There will be no escape from this system."

A voice that overwhelmed the audience, as if in a play, echoed throughout the banquet hall.

"And let these impious people who are causing chaos in the empire be thrown into the imperial prison. The crime is...."

It would be nice if this whole situation were a real play. Unfortunately, they did not notice this obvious trap and entered the palace on his own.

Whether they felt the energy or not, the ending of today would have been the same. As if confirming this, the Prince looked at Winster and Howard with a sneer and spoke clearly.

"Let's charge them with murdering the royal family."

As soon as his cynical voice dropped, Winster smiled coldly and looked back and forth between the Prince and Count Hodges. As if they had prepared in advance, dozens of knights quickly suppressed Winster and Howard.

Winster, who went from being a vassal of a wealthy princely family to becoming an outlaw in the imperial palace, pursed his lips.

Instead of banishing him to Vikander, he Imprisons him in the imperial palace. With the apparent intention of taking them hostage, Winster clenched his fists until they turned white.

Count Hodges' chills subsided as he watched the scene. In contrast to his heavy expression, the Prince was now smiling with a happier face than anyone else.

Just like when he received the report about the explosion earlier.

***

"... It's explosive magical power... Is it treason?"

It was such a cruel thing to even say. Count Hodges shook his head with a bewildered look on his face.

"Well, it doesn't matter."

"..."

"It's actually a good thing. Aren't most of the nobles in the banquet hall full of dissatisfaction with Vikander?"

It was just as the Prince said. Rather, it was a good thing.

The rising anger of the nobles was clearly directed. The nobles poured out harsh criticism towards Vikander's vassals.

"I knew it. Of course, there must have been some reason to believe that he was so stiff! Oh my God!"

"I recognized it at a glance when I was gaining momentum with just the loot!"

"Isn't Grand Duke Vikander also a noble of the empire? How dare he do such a thing?!" 

The nobles cried out to each other, with all the negative emotions coming together, including a sense of inferiority toward the Grand Dukedom, shame for having been in trouble so far, and greed for that wealth.

Leopold looked at the scene happily and slightly bowed his head towards the Emperor.

The Emperor, who had given him full authority over this whole situation, nodded his head slowly. Either way, Leopold muttered with a refreshed face.

"Now send a letter to Liv. If she wants to save two lives....."

Eyes stained with possessiveness looked at the Tiase Palace in the distance. An eerie voice continued through Leopold's teeth.

"Come to my side immediately so that not even the Grand Duke finds out."

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