Chapter 110 : Chapter 110
Chapter 110: The Rebels and the Forced
“Thank you both for your trust.”
The Duke of Daylight smiled faintly and returned to his seat. “You both understand why I came back to the Imperial Capital this time—everything is because of Night. As for his death, I suspect it was done by those people in the Imperial Capital.”
After hearing the Duke of Daylight’s words, the expressions of the two guests changed only slightly. There was no great surprise.
“If you’re thinking this way, you must have some basis for it,” Linton said.
“That’s right.”
The Duke of Daylight nodded. “In fact, I warned Night about this two years ago. But only a year later, something still happened to him. His entire family—servants included—was burned to death in a great fire.”
“Then who do you think did it?” Princess Charlotte asked.
“I don’t know yet.”
Shaking his head, the Duke of Daylight continued, “For this banquet, I invited several people I find suspicious. I want to use the banquet to find some clues. For that reason, I’m afraid I may end up turning against them.”
“Oh?”
Hearing that, Charlotte looked surprised. “The people you’re talking about are all members of the imperial family in the capital, aren’t they? Have you thought this through? You may be a Duke, but this isn’t your territory. If things go wrong… it could even spark a war.”
“I never intended to rebel. I only want to drag the murderer into the light.”
“But those people might not see it that way.”
“You’ll help me, won’t you?”
…
For a moment, the room fell silent.
The Aarlan Empire had enjoyed a century of peace, with no rebellions ever taking place. Although the Duke of Daylight had no intention of rebelling, once he openly turned against members of the imperial family, the other side would certainly not let the matter rest.
This was a serious issue. Choosing the wrong side would affect the rest of their lives.
“I know you must be hesitating right now,” the Duke of Daylight said slowly. “But next, I’ll give you a reason that will make you support me.”
As he spoke, his expression darkened and his gaze sharpened. “You both know that my wife passed away two years ago, don’t you?”
“Of course. We even went to pay our respects at her grave,” Linton replied.
“She died at the hands of those non-human species from the Cage. And the reason those non-humans were able to harm my wife was because of the scheming of those people in the Imperial Capital. Moreover, I suspect that the death of Night’s family is also related to the Cage.
Which means that within the imperial family… someone has colluded with the Cage’s non-human species.”
Hearing this, both of them were shocked. Their expressions changed visibly.
“Daylight, claims like that require absolute evidence,” Charlotte said gravely.
“There is evidence. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have rushed back to the Imperial Capital from so far away.”
Next, the Duke of Daylight told them everything he knew.
The mysterious death of the Duke of Night, how the Cage’s target had been Otilia, and how Otilia had been attacked because she had come into contact with Vivianna.
After listening to his account, Princess Charlotte’s expression grew heavy. She lifted her head and fixed him with a sharp gaze.
“What you’ve said is still speculation. It isn’t concrete evidence.”
“But the facts are already laid out before us. At first, it was precisely because I lacked solid proof that I chose to endure in silence. Even after my wife’s death and my daughter locking herself in her room for years, I endured. Night’s entire family has already been persecuted. I endured for another year after that. Now, I can’t continue waiting for death.”
“I know you’re furious, Daylight.”
Linton interjected from the side. “But have you thought about how to investigate this? Are you planning to summon all those imperial nobles and offend them across the board? You’re not young anymore. You should act with reason.”
“Heh, Linton, those imperial nobles aren’t fools either.”
The Duke of Daylight let out a cold laugh. “They all know why I returned to the Imperial Capital. They must be prepared already. So what if I offend them? If we don’t find the one colluding with the Cage, who do you think will be killed next? I believe it will be one of the three of us.”
“You mean…” Charlotte paused, her expression growing darker. “The ones within the imperial family who are colluding with the Cage intend to rebel?”
“Yes.”
The Duke of Daylight answered firmly. “Do you know why Night returned from the northern region to the Imperial Capital two years ago? Someone tried to recruit him to rebel. That person held a very high position. Night was deeply conflicted, so he summoned me back to the capital to discuss it. He never told me who that person was. Because I chose to remain neutral at the time, I left. On my way back, I was attacked by the Cage. To make my stance clear, I endured in silence until now. Now that Night is dead, the one who wanted to rebel must be responsible. And next, that person will surely make a move. I think we should strike first. The fact that I’m telling you all of this means that you are the people I trust the most.
Now let me see—what choice will you make?”
The death of the Duke of Night had been planned by someone within the imperial family preparing to rebel…
The news exploded in the hearts of the two like a bomb.
They finally understood.
The Duke of Daylight had long known that someone in the Imperial Capital was preparing a rebellion. The reason he had never exposed it was because he could not identify who that person was.
Now that the Duke of Night was dead, the one responsible would very likely turn their blade toward the remaining three regional lords next.
After all, they were the four lines of defense of the Aarlan Empire. The first step of any rebellion would be to eliminate them.
Rather than waiting for death, it was better to strike first. That was the Duke of Daylight’s thinking.
“Heh…”
Charlotte let out a quiet, cold laugh. “Tonight, I’ve truly heard something extraordinary.”
“Daylight.”
Linton’s face was also grim. “I have never had any intention of rebelling. But since someone has already aimed their blade at us, we really can’t just sit and wait.
However, do you know what it means to turn against those people tonight? It means that we will be seen as the rebels. We will become public enemies.”
“At this point, I have no better option.”
The Duke of Daylight said coldly, “If we continue to endure, we’ll be stabbed in the back sooner or later. Since that’s the case, we might as well make our stance clear. That way, the one preparing to rebel will see an opportunity and reveal their hand. Our first objective is to find our enemy. I will kill him and avenge Night’s family.”
At his words, silence filled the room once more.
…
After a long while, Princess Charlotte narrowed her eyes and met the Duke of Daylight’s gaze.
“Can I trust you, Daylight?”
“I swear it in the name of Elfreid.”
“…”
His words deeply shook the two of them. They had never imagined that this banquet would take such a form.
Someone within the imperial family had colluded with the Cage and was preparing to rebel.
That person was deeply hidden, intending to either eliminate or recruit the four regional lords from the shadows.
If you refused to be recruited, the Cage might be sent to deal with you.
At present, the only option truly was to take a clear stand and strike first.
“Heh.”
Linton smiled bitterly. “You’re right. Rather than being stabbed in the back, it’s better to strike first. But doing so… will undoubtedly place us at the center of the storm. We’ll be in the open, while the enemy remains in the shadows.”
“Even if we don’t stand up to fight, we’re still in the open,” the Duke of Daylight said, shaking his head helplessly.
“Both of you, this banquet is only the beginning. For now, there’s no better way. We can only proceed like this.”
“I have a way.”
At that moment, a voice came from outside the room.
As the three of them turned their gaze toward the door, it opened, and Otilia appeared before them, dressed in a magnificent formal gown.
Seeing his daughter appear, the Duke of Daylight smiled bitterly.
“Otilia, didn’t you say you would only appear during the banquet? Why are you here now?”
“Father, I told you that tonight, I might give you a surprise.”
“Oh, my daughter. The fact that you stepped out of your room is already the greatest surprise you could give me.”
“No. Besides that, there’s another surprise waiting for you,” Otilia said calmly.
Both Charlotte and Linton knew Otilia. They had not seen the Snow Queen of the southern region for a long time. Ever since two years ago, she had vanished as if overnight.
“Otilia.”
Seeing the Snow Queen of the southern region again, Charlotte smiled. “You just said you have a way. Are you referring to that surprise?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Otilia smiled faintly. She slowly turned her head toward the doorway and said softly, “Come in, Erika… no… now, you should be called Vivianna.”