Chapter 30
“For the time being, you should be careful about using your arm.”
The underground interrogation room, blocked on all sides by dull gray walls.
A light bulb hanging from the ceiling swayed, emitting faint light.
Lionel was leaning leisurely against the back of the chair, legs crossed like a picture.
The smell of disinfectant subtly seeped from between the bandages wrapped around his fully exposed shoulder.
Even as needle-like pain grazed his skin, he didn’t budge.
He merely held the cigar tip between his lips and slowly inhaled the smoke.
“Of course, the best thing would be to receive proper treatment at a hospital.”
At the military doctor’s nagging that wasn’t quite nagging, Lionel pressed the cigar into the ashtray to extinguish it.
Next to the ashtray, a charred piece of paper and a newspaper were haphazardly overlapped.
The article that was supposed to break around tomorrow morning had already been printed and circulated as breaking news.
【Terror Incident Occurs Again! Citizens’ Safety Under Threat. Is This Really Okay?】
Under the sensational headline, a slanted subtitle was attached in italics.
【Valheim Duchess Appears at Terror Site. Connection Between Bardo Trading Company and Terrorism?】 Something like that.
There was also a photo of Agnes held in Lionel’s arms.
It was obvious the article had been pieced together from fragmentary words exchanged by the unit members at the scene.
“They really love to chatter.”
The corner of Lionel’s mouth curved coldly.
“How is Agnes doing?”
“She was safely transported to the hospital, and currently Simon is guarding her side.”
Kalt, who had returned, concisely reported Agnes’s condition.
She had inhaled toxic smoke and, perhaps from the great shock, had shown unstable signs and nearly fainted.
There were places where glass fragments were embedded, but overall shallow wounds that wouldn’t leave scars.
“She’s resting stably now.”
Lionel took out a new cigar and put it in his mouth.
Identical iron doors lined up in a row in the corridor.
In each room, the remaining Rebels and Chloe were locked separately.
Lionel picked up the charred paper.
Since evidence linking Agnes had emerged, it was only proper for her to be investigated as well.
However, he wasn’t keen on dragging Agnes into this dull space.
The damp air wouldn’t be good for Agnes, who often collapsed anyway.
A conclusion was reached.
He could just go to the hospital room himself. There was no rule saying the interrogation had to be done here.
“Until I arrive, control all access to the hospital room. Especially, since reporters might swarm, tell them not to do anything that draws unnecessary attention.”
Lionel lit the new cigar and opened the door to the room where Chloe was held.
Sss—.
The pungent cigar scent and the metallic tang mixed together, brushing past his throat.
“Why on earth have you captured me? Whatever it is, Your Grace is making a mistake right now?”
“A mistake?”
Lionel laughed briefly, rubbed his eyebrow with the cigar held between his fingers.
Even a short conversation made him feel like vomiting. It was disgustingly repulsive.
‘Yes, if it’s a Bardo, this kind of feeling is right.’
Agnes was the outlier.
Pushing away the recurring thoughts of Agnes, Lionel threw the paper in front of Chloe.
“What is this?”
Chloe asked back as if she really didn’t know.
It was natural since Adrien had secretly taken it without telling her.
“It came from the possession of those who caused this terrorism.”
“Really? I don’t know anything about it.”
Chloe arrogantly lifted her chin.
“I have no connection to terrorism. So please call my father.”
Whether she had heard that Adrien hadn’t been caught, Chloe’s expression was confident.
Like someone with something to rely on.
And as if responding to that confidence, an uninvited guest arrived.
An urgent knock sounded from outside the iron door.
Creak.
When the door opened, Kalt hurriedly approached and reported in his ear.
“Colonel. Colonel Winterbolt from the Capital Defense Force has arrived.”
Before the report could even finish, Jerome, in a uniform far from neat, stepped over the threshold.
Buttons freely undone, necktie hanging loosely.
An arrogant attitude as if permission was unnecessary.
Behind Jerome, Adrien Bardo with a brazen face followed.
“Nice to see you, Colonel Valheim?”
With a crooked greeting, Jerome abruptly announced.
“His Majesty has entrusted the investigation of the grand theater terrorism to our side. We, the Capital Defense Force, will take over this case.”
Jerome carelessly waved the commission stamped with the emperor’s seal.
The surroundings stirred. Kalt clenched his teeth.
“What do you mean by that. Until now, it was our unit tracking the Rebels.”
“Kalt.”
Calling Kalt’s name low to mean don’t interfere, Kalt squeezed his eyes shut.
“Wow, the subordinate takes after the superior and lacks manners too. Who do you think you’re talking back to?”
Jerome laughed fiercely and scratched his sideburns.
“You should have handled it properly. With terrorism breaking out one after another and you failing to respond correctly, isn’t that why I have to step in.”
He grinned and patted Lionel’s injured shoulder.
“Don’t be too heartbroken. Since it happened in the capital, I’ll take responsibility for it.”
“There’s no need. The investigation will continue on our side.”
“Hey, Colonel Valheim. The capital is my jurisdiction. You stick to worrying about the north as usual.”
At the petty provocation, Lionel inhaled the cigar deeply once more before exerting force in his hand.
The cigar’s waist snapped, folding in half.
“Do you think you can handle it?”
“……What?”
“Didn’t you stay in the capital because you couldn’t handle rough work, having grown up preciously. This is rougher than it looks.”
Jerome’s insolent face turned red in an instant.
“You bastard, shut your mouth?”
“What if you step in unnecessarily and this precious body gets hurt.”
Lionel patted Jerome’s shoulder just as he had done.
“And I’d appreciate if you refrained from speaking down to someone of the same rank. Or should I speak casually too, Colonel Winterbolt?”
Now Jerome’s face was red to the point it couldn’t get any redder.
It was common knowledge that Jerome Winterbolt had bought his colonel position with his background as the emperor’s brother and money.
Thus, Jerome Winterbolt had never achieved anything worthy of being called a soldier.
Even when going to the field, he was busy protecting himself.
Jerome, whose pride was bent in front of the unit members, swept his hand over his face.
“The head of the Bardo trading company here made an interesting tip. It seems the Rebels have the company’s business documents.”
Jerome pressed the charred paper on the desk firmly with his finger.
“This seems to be it.”
Jerome dragged the paper over and handed it to Adrien.
“What do you think, company head. Is this a document from your company?”
Adrien examined the document this way and that in an excessively polite posture.
Then, with a flustered face and fidgeting gestures, he nodded repeatedly.
“Yes, it is. It’s a document handled by my second daughter. How on earth-,”
“Then does that mean the Valheim Duchess was colluding with the Rebels?”
“T-That can’t be.”
Adrien flailed his hands in panic.
“Though Agnes is greedy, she’s not a child who would do such unscrupulous things. There must be some misunderstanding.”
“Hmm, even so, we have to investigate.”
Jerome grinned and tapped his lips.
“Anyway, Colonel Valheim has to step back from this case. With your wife involved, can an objective investigation be possible?”
Jerome narrowed his eyes sulkily and beckoned to the subordinate behind him.
“Arrest Agnes Valheim, immediately!”
***
There was a commotion outside the hospital room.
The whispers of reporters and the clashing sounds of the ducal knights’ swords faintly intertwined from afar.
Looking at Agnes sitting alone on the white bed, Simon smiled as if troubled.
“It’s a bit noisy outside.”
He glanced toward the door to check, then spoke reassuringly again.
“Don’t worry. His Grace has instructed to pay special attention to Lady Agnes’s safety. Knights are guarding the door, so you can rest comfortably.”
“His Grace…… my safety?”
It was a combination of words that didn’t suit at all. Agnes slowly closed and opened her eyes.
“Yes. You were nearly seriously injured, weren’t you. It was the first time I saw His Grace so startled.”
Simon lifted the box Agnes had been holding and carefully placed it on the drawer.
“His Grace said he’ll come soon, so please lie down until then.”
“Ah, ……yes.”
Agnes answered dazedly and lay down on the bed.
‘Rael was startled because of me? Because I…… might get hurt?’
Her thick, curved eyelashes fluttered.
It was probably just something Simon said, but for some reason, her fingertips tingled.
Afraid this feeling might be discovered, Agnes pulled the blanket up to under her nose.
Even knowing it was better not to have needless expectations, her stomach churned.
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