novelzi Chapter 138: Upheaval (1) Part 2
Chapter 138: Upheaval (1) Part 2
Chapter 138: Upheaval (1) Part 2
The next day, Yulie returned to her duties at the Freyhem Knights’ Order. A lingering chill, likely from what happened the previous night, washed over her. But as the Grand Knight, there was no time for rest.
She spent the morning sorting through the ledgers, drafting the training schedule, and delegating tasks to the knights. The paperwork alone took up almost two hours.
“Phew...” Yulie exhaled, stretching her arms above her head, feeling a small wave of accomplishment.
Bang—!
At that moment, the door to her office burst open with such force that it nearly splintered. Yulie instinctively sprang to her feet.
Rockfell, the deputy knight, rushed in, his face drenched in sweat, and shouted, “Grand Knight! We have a serious situation!”
"Sir Rockfell, what is—"
Before she could finish, several agents in suits entered behind Rockfell and said, "Alright, Deputy Knight, if you could please wait outside. This matter is not for your concern."
“Unhand me!” Rockfell demanded, resisting as they forced him toward the exit.
“Now, now. Let’s not obstruct official duties,” the agent warned, turning his attention to the room. The agents glanced around, their faces showing faint disappointment at the office's plain, no-frills interior.
“What’s going on here?” Yulie snapped.
One of the agents smirked as he flashed his badge and said, “Russo, Knights’ Order Special Inspection Team, Intelligence Agency. Well, we’re here for the routine audit of private knight orders.”
“Excuse me, but an audit? Of our knight order?”
"Yes, that's correct. A report has come to our attention, prompting this necessary review."
"A report?" Yulie repeated, nearly at a loss for words. An audit was absurd—she had always managed Freyhem with the highest standards of integrity.
"Yes, a report. We've received certain... information, and... Hey, get to work! Grab everything.”
“Yes, sir!”
At Russo's command, the agents sprang into action, tossing ledgers, mission files, and nearly every document they could find into boxes.
Yulie pressed her lips together, then snapped, “There is nothing wrong with Freyhem! This report has to be false—”
“Well, we’ll see about that once the investigation is over,” Russo cut in. “If you’re really as spotless as you claim, maybe you’ll even earn a commendation.”
“This is ridiculous...” Yulie muttered, ready to argue further but suddenly fell silent, a warning from Deculein flashing through her mind.
"Do as you wish, but be ready for the consequences. Remember this—you will regret it."
“Could it be...?”
“Now, now! Let’s go, keep it moving! We have plenty more to get through,” Russo barked, pushing the agents to hurry along.
The agents swarmed the room while Yulie stood rooted in place, her mind racing and heat rising up her neck. Something was going terribly wrong.
***
The grand imperial hall buzzed with the presence of the Empire's ministers and officials. Today, for the first time in ages, Sophien attended the state affairs herself in person. Though she had been making crucial decisions from within the confines of the snow globe—possessing the body of a cat—she had long avoided this hall, weary of the tiresome task of facing her subordinates.
"Your Majesty, the Scarletborn's resistance has grown intolerable. I recommend we take firm action to crush their rebellion and restore order."
"Your Majesty, the situation in Marik has spiraled out of control. The area is now flooded with reckless adventurers. It would be prudent to close off access to Marik entirely."
"Your Majesty, the Empire's merchants—"
Sophien viewed these fools with deep contempt. Most of them cared little for the Empire or its people, driven purely by self-interest. Roughly thirty percent were selfish opportunists, ten percent were under the Altar's influence, another forty percent blindly followed their factions, leaving only a few twenty percent who genuinely cared about the Empire's governance.
"Your Majesty, a petition has arrived from the provinces. I humbly seek your attention," the official said.
“Hand it over,” Sophien replied, a scowl on her face as she snatched the document.
Screech—
The car rolled to a halt.
The soldiers snapped to attention, saluting as they opened the door. In one clear voice, they said, “Professor, it’s an honor!”
Stepping out, I adjusted my hat and looked ahead.
One of the Elite Guards beside me reported, “... It seems the Scarletborn have been hiding here in plain sight, Professor. The village above looks ordinary, but there’s a hidden lair beneath it.”
Smoke choked the air, the glow of flames licking the horizon. Knights and soldiers swarmed the village, leaving no shadow unexplored.
“Furthermore, this man is one of their leaders,” an Elite Guard reported, shoving the prisoner to his knees before me.
“... Urgh,” the Scarletborn leader groaned.
I locked eyes with him, and he returned my stare with a look of stubborn resolve. He was a man from the desert, unmistakably Scarletborn—his origins as obvious as the sun.
“How dare you stare at him! Do you even know who you’re dealing with?” one of the guards barked, slapping the man across the face, eager to display his excessive loyalty.
The slap landed with such force that the man’s lip split, his head snapping to the side.
“An interrogation is necessary. Send him to Roharlak,” I ordered.
At that moment, the man’s mouth flew open, a clear attempt to bite his tongue and end it all.
Clutch!
But his jaw couldn’t close. I used Telekinesis to force his teeth apart. As I looked down at him, a faint twist tugged at my lips, and I said, “... Stay alive.”
Boom—!
A distant explosion rumbled through the air. Whether it was a spell, a sword clash, or artillery fire, I couldn’t be sure. Amid the chaos, my eyes remained fixed on the man.
"As long as you keep breathing, there is hope. But if you fall here, I will have no choice but to bring destruction to that village."
Then, I released my Telekinesis, letting go of my grip on him. He clenched his teeth in frustration but refrained from making any more foolish moves. Tears gathered in his eyes as he muttered through bloodied lips.
“Send him to Roharlak.”
“Yes, sir!” the guards barked in unison, saluting before dragging the man away.
Boom—!
Another explosion rocked the ground. I watched as smoke and embers swallowed the village, a creeping dread settling over me. It felt like some long-buried history was clawing its way to the surface, one I couldn’t easily cast aside as a man from Earth.
"Professor! We’ve received intelligence about an underground tunnel nearby!" a rat-faced man reported, sprinting toward me, gasping for breath.
I furrowed my brow and demanded, "A tunnel, you say?"
"Yes, Professor! It's an underground escape route they've constructed. We should deploy troops to—"
“There’s no need. Dividing our forces to secure the tunnel would weaken our defenses and leave us vulnerable.”
“Oh, of course! As expected of you, Professor! You’re absolutely correct,” Duren replied, nodding eagerly. His agreement came so quickly that it seemed he would follow any command, even if it meant him to commit seppuku.
“I’ll inspect the tunnel personally,” I declared.
“... Alone, Professor? Is that wise? At least consider bringing some of the Elite Guards—"
“That’s unnecessary. There’s no reason to involve knights in dealing with such trash. Just give me the coordinates.”
“Oh, yes, Professor. The map is ready for your review.”
I took the map from Duren and signaled the knights to secure the perimeter. With that done, I headed toward the marked location—the tunnel.