Chapter 122

Sure enough, Aivert’s choice was correct. Valuable information flowed freely from Marquis Shuan’s lips. He revealed the routes Benerix used to infiltrate assassins, how he persuaded the guards and royal knights, and what he did to drown Rodella Syveric and Aivert Royden.

And then…

“No assassin ever went to the Chancellor’s residence! It was Duke Benerix who told the royal knights to say that!”

“That’s a ridiculous lie!” Benerix snapped back. “I will not let you get away with making up baseless lies to confuse His Majesty!”

Knowing he had completely burned his bridges with the noble faction, Marquis Shuan now actively countered. “Baseless? I can name the royal knights involved! And there are others in this very room who know about the plan!”

At his words, the gazes of several nobles began to waver. They were, of course, Benerix’s key allies. Their names had already reached the ears of Aivert and the emperor.

“And the artifacts were bought in large quantities from the Lockmore family’s workshop under the pretext of creating a mine!”

“Is it a crime to build a mine on my own land?!” Benerix thundered.

In response, Aivert took an artifact out from his clothes. “Does Benerix build mines in the Imperial Palace? How do you explain this explosive artifact, which was found on the assassin who tried to kill His Majesty?”

Benerix hesitated.

“Wait, the Lockmore workshop has nothing to do with this!” the Head of Court Office, Edmore Lockmore, cried out in a panic.

The emperor turned to face him. “An investigation will be necessary, but I trust Sir Lockmore. We already have a testimony.”

“All you need to do, Sir, is confirm whether Duke Benerix was the one who ordered these artifacts, and if they were made for the purpose of a mine, as the Duke claimed.”

Rodella took an artifact from Aivert. As she held out her hand, Aivert pulled out another and gave it to her. The two artifacts, now safely deactivated, were the one held by the assassin and the one found on the ship where the hostage situation took place. Though no one knew when he had brought them, the strong smell of the sea on one of them was proof enough.

“One was taken from the ship Duke Benerix ordered to be blown up, and the other was found on the body of the person who dared to assassinate His Majesty.” Rodella handed the artifacts to Adrian Lockmore.

“This is…”

Adrian Lockmore took the artifacts and examined them closely. “They are from our workshop. And recently, the only family that has ordered explosive artifacts is Benerix.”

The evidence was undeniable. All eyes turned to Duke Benerix. The leaders of the noble faction, who had entered the audience hall with a calm facade, now looked anxious. In contrast, the centrists and those loyal to the emperor looked both confused and furious.

Receiving all of their stares, Duke Benerix eventually muttered through gritted teeth, “How on earth…!”

The hostage situation? Seizing the Chancellor’s residence? Regardless of the success of his other plans, if he could just secure the Imperial Palace, he could deal with the rest in due time. Wasn’t that why he had gathered everyone in the audience hall and planned to order the search of Royden’s and the Chancellor’s residence? Because if the emperor was dead, he would be the only one to hold the power of the Imperial Family.

But even that had failed.

“How…!”

How did they keep the emperor alive? He couldn’t even guess, but what was clear was that Aivert Royden and Rodella Syveric had ruined everything.

“Not a single person saw them coming in…!”

The incompetent Red Knights! He was so close! The throne was within his grasp!

Duke Benerix shouted, “Seize them! They are impersonating His Majesty!”

His cry must have reached outside the audience hall. A commotion was heard from outside, and the nobles inside were shocked. The nobles, who were mostly from the palace departments, would not fail to recognize the emperor. But even after recognizing the true emperor, Duke Benerix was openly trying to kill him, claiming he was an imposter. However, in the eyes of Duke Benerix, who had nothing left to lose, there was a flash of madness. He had clearly concluded that since everyone outside believed the emperor was dead, killing him here would make the plan perfect.

—THUMP!

The audience hall doors flew open, and Red Knights stormed in. They seemed to have already grasped the situation from the commotion inside, but they were in the same position as Duke Benerix. This emperor had to be a fake. Otherwise, their heads would roll for treason.

“Behead that imposter who dared to defame His Majesty! And subdue Aivert Royden and Rodella Syveric, who are in league with him!”

Among the knights who rushed in was the Red Knight Commander, Edric Sneed. He had seen the emperor up close several times, so he couldn’t possibly mistake him. But he quickly turned his gaze away from the emperor and shouted, “Don’t be afraid of Aivert Royden! He has many people to protect and can’t move properly! Aim for the others!”

It was a relatively smart move, as a wrong use of Aivert’s power could harm the emperor, Rodella, or Marquis Shuan. But it wasn’t a flawless plan.

Rodella pointed at the nobles. “Shouldn’t the Red Knights also protect the nobles of the noble faction? You’re not planning to leave the nobles unprotected in this melee, are you?”

“…!”

The first ones to react were the nobles. As they sent anxious glances their way, having been dropped in the middle of a fight, the Red Knights couldn’t ignore them. If this rebellion succeeded, these were the people who would hold power. What if they held a grudge for not being protected in this situation? Their lives would be miserable even if the noble faction came to power. At that thought, the Red Knights’ formation began to waver.

“This…!”

Aivert Royden was simply too great a variable. It might be better to retreat and plan for another day. After all, most of the noble faction was still on their side anyway—

“Retreat to the Chancellor’s residence!” Duke Benerix shouted.

The Red Knight Commander, Edrick, then shouted, “To the Chancellor’s residence!” and threw an artifact on the floor.

—BANG!

It was the same kind of artifact used by the person who had first attacked Benerix and the emperor.

“…!”

The nobles who remembered the unique-looking poisonous fog that had spread outside gasped. Wasn’t this proof that Duke Benerix, along with the Red Knight Commander, had orchestrated the assassin’s commotion and the rebellion?

Just as the fog began to obscure their vision…

—WHOOSH!

The fog was completely sucked out toward the council room, whose doors had suddenly been torn open by brute force.

“W-what?!”

As the surprised Red Knight Commander turned around, he saw Latine Modilac, who would not be affected by poisonous fog. “I received the gift you sent. It was a good one.” He was holding a handkerchief over Ameris’s nose and mouth, who was standing behind him.

Once the fog had cleared, he put the handkerchief away and threw something he had grabbed from his pocket onto the floor.

—Clink!

It was a handful of Red Knight badges.

“You may have had ill intentions when you sent this gift to the Chancellor’s residence, but as you can see, the Chancellor is safe. Don’t try to enter her residence without permission.”

The fact that he and the Chancellor were here and unharmed meant that all the Red Knights sent there had been dealt with.

“Are you still going to be disrespectful?” Latine asked, after giving a short bow to the emperor.

“…”

Duke Benerix gritted his teeth.

“WAAAAAH!”

Meanwhile, a roar was heard from a distance.

“We came at His Majesty’s call… Hey, get out of the way!”

Beyond the window, the Azure Knights and Red Knights were seen clashing. It seemed there were no troops left to protect Duke Benerix.

And on top of that…

“Your Majesty!”

The royal knights and guards he had disarmed were also making a commotion, fighting their way through the Red Knights.

“Surrender, Duke Benerix,” the emperor said. “There is no place left to retreat.” His voice was cold, and he no longer used respectful terms for his uncle.

As the moment of his defeat was announced, Duke Benerix grabbed a sword from a nearby Red Knight.

“!”

He seemed to be planning to slit his own throat, but Aivert moved faster.

—CLANG!

With a metallic sound that was unbelievable for a sword blocked by a bare hand, the sword shattered. And as Duke Benerix fainted in Aivert’s grip…

—CLATTER!

The Red Knights began to drop their swords, one by one.

It was the end of the rebellion.