Ever since the Emperor's assassination attempt, everyone had known a storm was brewing. Yet, no one knew exactly when or how that storm would strike—or who would fall victim first.
As for those who'd already suffered? They weren't even proper victims, merely unfortunate souls swept away by the aftermath.
But despite every prediction, no one had anticipated that Honest himself would be the storm's first casualty!
Honest had been personally promoted by the Emperor. When he became governor, he was barely past thirty—remarkably young for such a high rank, especially given his modest noble background. Half a year ago, his meteoric rise to Minister of Finance had stunned the capital.
Although the Minister of Finance merely managed the empire's treasury, it was still one of the most influential positions within the imperial bureaucracy. Honest hadn't even turned fifty yet.
In the eyes of the Emperor—and most of the court—this capable, mild-mannered minister had seemed destined to rise even higher, possibly becoming the next Prime Minister. Yet, overnight, his bright future turned to ashes.
His son was publicly beheaded, his mansion ransacked, and Honest himself became a fugitive.
If the sudden downfall of the Emperor's favored minister had been shocking enough, then the annihilation of the Imperial Fist Temple made many nobles wonder if the messengers had gone insane.
The Imperial Fist Temple had endured for a millennium. Its longevity was no accident, for it had countless disciples from prominent noble families. Attacking the temple openly meant declaring war against those entrenched interests.
The Emperor might rule supreme, but even he couldn't simply do as he pleased. So, when he dispatched Lancer with thunderous resolve to exterminate the temple, it shattered everyone's expectations.
Nobles connected to the temple initially reacted with disbelief, then rage—but finally, terror.
They understood the risks—surely the Emperor understood them too.
Yet, despite knowing this, he'd still issued such ruthless orders. That alone demonstrated the Emperor's determination. With the temple now leaderless, scattered, and shaken, what could these nobles even do?
No one dared stick their neck out first. Anyone who did would face a fate worse than death.
...
The entire Capital buzzed with gossip when Syura was executed, yet ironically, the three people most deeply involved couldn't have cared less.
Honest, as Syura's father, had long discarded him as useless—or perhaps never trusted him much in the first place. Syura knew even less than Honest's trusted aides.
Meanwhile, Lancer and the Emperor—who had ordered and carried out Syura's capture—stood quietly side by side, studying the documents before them in grim silence.
"Budo," the Emperor finally spoke, his voice weary, "all of these were found in Honest's estate?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," General Budo answered solemnly.
The Emperor's eyes skimmed across the many names, some familiar, others unknown, and for a moment, words failed him.
"Your Majesty…" Lancer's voice abruptly broke the silence.
"Lancer, have you found something?" the Emperor asked, eager despite himself. He deeply valued Lancer's strength, sincerity, and lack of political ambition. According to Budo, Lancer was born to fight—and this latest plot against Honest had been entirely his idea. Though Honest had escaped, Lancer's bold strategy forced him into the open, proving him both courageous and cunning. His sudden interjection lifted the Emperor's spirits, if only a little.
At least I still have capable men by my side…
"Your Majesty, I suspect many of these documents might be fakes."
"Oh?" the Emperor frowned. "Why do you think that? Haven't we already confirmed several names?"
"It's precisely because of that," Lancer explained calmly. "Consider this, Your Majesty—Honest concealed his true intentions flawlessly until now. Even at the very end, he was exposed only because we forced his hand, not because we found direct evidence. Do you truly believe a cautious schemer like him would keep such crucial 'evidence' casually lying around at home? I suspect these identified targets might just be sacrificial pawns, a deliberate attempt to divert our attention. Even more dangerously, I think his true aim is to plant seeds of suspicion between you and your ministers. After all, the only ones present at this meeting are myself and General Budo…"
Lancer's words instantly wiped the faint smile from the Emperor's face, replaced by a deeper scowl—but not directed at Lancer, whose insight had painfully struck home.
Since Honest's betrayal, the Emperor had already begun mistrusting the civilian officials, leaning instead toward the military.
"Continue," he urged quietly.
"Yes! Furthermore," Lancer pressed carefully, "forgive my bluntness, but if everything in these documents were true… General, realistically speaking, if Honest openly raised the banner of rebellion, what are his chances of success?"
Budo's face darkened visibly at this sudden question.
"We would defend the Capital to the death and never allow that traitor even half a step inside. But the entire empire would inevitably descend into chaos…"
Budo's words were tactful, but the meaning was clear: if these documents were genuine, Honest's uprising would ignite a bloody civil war across the entire empire. Even if they won, victory wouldn't come easily.
"Who could have imagined," the Emperor muttered darkly, "that beneath his polished image as a brilliant financier, Honest could scheme with such poison!"
His voice shook with fury, teeth clenched tightly. Yet, despite his rage, the Emperor kept staring at the stack of documents, troubled by the vicious brilliance of Honest's conspiracy.
If undiscovered, this plot would surely deepen the rift between civilian officials and military leaders. Favoring one side too heavily over the other always spelled disaster; maintaining careful balance was the only proper path.
Yet, even more frighteningly, even though they'd uncovered Honest's scheme, its damage was irreversible. Seeds of doubt, once planted, couldn't easily be uprooted—that was the true horror of Honest's plan. Even exposure couldn't fully negate its effect.
"For now, secretly investigate each person listed here. If genuine connections to Honest are found, show no mercy—but make certain the evidence is ironclad! And these documents must remain absolutely confidential; otherwise, we risk further unrest!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" replied Lancer and Budo simultaneously, bowing deeply.
This storm, it seemed, would not fade anytime soon…
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T/N: hmph sucks that lancer is leaving soon... i think... i wonder how much time passes
also how STRONG do you think lancer is rn, he's obv not esdeath peak level, she can freeze time kill entire armies with a flick, mostly because of her ice lancer aint got any skill like that
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