Chapter 21
If there exists a family that has suffered losses due to a mishap from the Prosecutor’s Office, it’s customary to provide benefits and considerations that outweigh the damage done. This tradition has been around long before I joined the Prosecutor’s Office, which means that historically, there have been families who’ve had their roofs blown off by friendly fire from the Prosecutor’s Office.
In reality, while it sounds nice to say that we offer compensation surpassing the damage, a family that has been living peacefully only to be suddenly attacked until the brink of death is bound to curse their situation. Ultimately, families that can endure until it’s proven they were wrongly targeted are few and far between. More often than not, it results in instant death, you see.
In that regard, the Yorun family is quite lucky, and I’d say I am too. The Yorun family survived and was compensated, while I managed to dodge the title of ‘The one who blew up a perfectly fine Earl’s family’. There is even a notorious case in the past where an Executive Manager mistakenly wiped out five or six noble families and ended up being executed.
“Oppa, are you alright? Your expression looks a bit grim.”
“Oh, I’m fine. It’s nothing.”
Louise’s worried voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I must have looked pretty grim, recalling an incident that still sends chills down my spine.
I didn’t have the 3rd Manager stick his head in the ground in front of everyone for nothing. If things turned out badly, he wouldn’t have faced execution, but he wouldn’t have been let off easily, either. So, you can imagine how I felt when I found out that the daughter of the Yorun family, the victim of that incident, is friends with Louise.
‘Does she know that I’m the one in charge of the Prosecutor’s Office?’
The first day I met Louise, Irina stopped her from trying to keep me there as I was trying to escape. At first, I thought Irina was just a sharp kid. But reflecting on it later, I realized she was just scared of me.
Naturally, the 3rd Manager went to the Yorun estate to apologize and offer compensation, and I sent a letter of my own expressing my regret. So, on the official front, it ended well. But from Irina’s perspective, the head of the department that almost obliterated her family just appeared in front of her. It’s understandable if she was terrified.
“Now that I think about it, Irina sometimes asks about you, Oppa. Do you know each other?”
I almost let out a sigh at Louise’s question. I can only imagine how terrified Irina must be, knowing that someone who she wouldn’t even want to see in her nightmares is hanging out with her best friend. She probably asked out of fear of bumping into me.
“No. She probably just asked because it’s funny that the Prosecutor would be working as an advisor now.”
Of course, I couldn’t just say, “My subordinate almost pierced a stake through the heart of your friend’s family.” But Louise’s eyes were already hinting at some suspicion. It seems she’s worried I might have a problem with her friend, and honestly, she wouldn’t be wrong to think so. It’s a sad truth…
‘Should I go talk to her?’
Damn it! That would probably just scare her even more. But considering how things are going, I might need to at least try and speak with her to improve our relationship.
Faced with Louise’s increasingly suspicious gaze, I found myself lost for words.
That night, after being shot looks by a somewhat upset Louise, I decided it would be improper to keep using the Vice Principal as a messenger, so I reached out with my new communication device and contacted Villar.
“Sir Villar? What brings you here at this hour?”
“I apologize for contacting you at such an hour, but there’s something I must inform you of.”
And what Villar had to say was a heartbreaking news.
With major figures from the three kingdoms away from the Academy for a picnic, the bodyguards couldn’t merely sit idly by. But the three of them stubbornly insisted on not being followed at all costs.
‘Haven’t they lost their minds?’
That was my immediate thought after Villar finished explaining.
The bodyguards have to protect their charge, even at the cost of their lives. There’s no way they’d just comply with a request to stay behind! But the flip side is, what could the bodyguards do when the ones they’re sworn to protect refuse their protection?
Sir Villar must have contacted me to deliver this piece of bad news. It was more than enough to make me scratch the back of my neck.
Not only could they refuse close protection, but they also wanted to keep their distance? Even though I cleared out the dungeon, who knows what unknown threats might arise? If they thought things would go smoothly simply because they’re off on a picnic, they must be out of their minds!
For a moment, I was almost moved to tears as I looked at Villar’s distressing expression. Because those in power act foolishly, it’s the subordinates who face hardship. This holds true not just for the Empire but also for the other kingdoms.
In the end, I suggested that the bodyguards conceal themselves in the forest near the hill where the picnic would be held. It would be close enough to their location yet hidden, and since the surrounding area was flat, they could spot any unwanted visitors easily. Plus, they wouldn’t be visible from the outside, which was essential.
“It should provide adequate cover.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
This didn’t seem like something I should be thanked for, so I responded only with a smile. The very situation of the bodyguards having to hide from the people they’re protecting seemed ridiculous. If someone outside caught sight of them, they might mistake them for assassins. What a bunch of morons.
And so, Villar and I ended the call while sharing our woes about the situation below us.
The morning of the picnic arrived, unexpectedly bright and cheerful. Erich and Louise promised to bring the lunch for admiring the cherry blossoms, all I had to do was show up for the event. Although my head was clouded from the odd discussions of the previous night. Is this what they call plus-minus zero? I’d much rather be exhausted than have this anxiety hanging over me.
In the meantime, it was touching to see the bodyguards heading into the forest early in the morning. Just to be safe, I told Villar that if they happened to be discovered, they were to say they went to subjugate a dungeon since there was indeed one in the area…
Upon hearing the word “dungeon,” I noticed Villar shift, almost as though he wanted to dash over immediately. So, I casually mentioned that I had taken care of it the day prior. He looked slightly bemused, but ultimately expressed his gratitude for my thoughtfulness. It’s all in a day’s work for civil servants helping each other out.
“Now that everyone is here, let’s go!”
In stark contrast to the bodyguards who left early, the pastry club members took their sweet time to board a carriage provided by the Vice Principal when it was finally time for the picnic. It was large enough for six comfortably to fit, so the kids piled into the back while I chose to sit next to the coachman.
He looked a bit shaky, but I hoped he could understand my situation. I wasn’t too keen on being squeezed between those six myself. I slipped him a few silver coins as a show of appreciation for his hard work, and his shaking quickly eased up.
“I’ll get you there as swiftly as I can!”
“Just don’t overdo it. Safety first!”
I withheld the warning that one single injury inside this carriage might result in his head rolling off. Anyway, once the tension faded, his drive seemed to perk up. As expected, financial motivation works wonders; I learned that from Duke Gold.
Afterward, both the coachman and I remained silent. I had just given him a chance to relax, and talking might make him nervous again. But, since the carriage was quiet, I could hear some chatter inside.
“─Sometimes dungeons just appear unexpectedly in fields or forests.”
What kind of jerk is bringing up already resolved dungeon flags? Is that you, Rutis? By the sound of it, absolutely. Seems like in the original story, he was infamous for his notorious mouth.
“Isn’t that why artifacts were developed? Over the last few decades, spotting dungeons has become harder.”
This time, Lather drove a nail right into my heart. That’s true; it’s a rare sight to see a dungeon nowadays, and I never imagined one popping up around here at this time.
“I’ve never seen a dungeon. What’s it like?”
“It’s for your best that you don’t, Lady Louise. The creatures inside the dungeon can be quite ferocious.”
For some reason, the topic switched to dungeons, with Louise and Ainter continuing on. I guess they didn’t want to miss out on what seemed to be the perfect conversation starter.
“There are records indicating that even a small dungeon requires a squad of at least ten experienced soldiers to take it down.”
“Ooh, concrete records?”
“This record is related to the dungeon that opened in our territory. It stirred up quite the fuss after the creation of artifacts.”
Erich was recalling what I had heard before. It was around several decades ago, causing Lord Krasius to face quite a roasting from his friends over it; “What on Earth must one do for a dungeon to open in their territory?”
Interestingly enough, shortly after, a dungeon also opened in the territory of the friend who had made fun of him, giving the Krasius family head the opportunity to take his turn in teasing.
“Well, that applies to soldiers; if we’re part of the expedition, we’ll take down most dungeons with ease.”
‘You little scamp.’
Hearing Rutis say that nearly made me spring out of my seat in the carriage. Regardless of whether the dungeon is conquered or not, if even one scratch occurs during that process, the bodyguards’ necks would be on the line. A small lapse from those above can cause an uproar for those below.
This is precisely why the ones who’ve had everything handed to them since birth remain clueless about those beneath them.
With that thought, I quietly closed my eyes. I’ll just sleep until we arrive there.
“Talking about dungeons makes me want to go on a dungeon adventure!”
‘…….’
While I was napping, I missed all that nonsensical chatter. They really are something else.
So, I cried internally until we arrived at the picnic spot.
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