TEB Ch 29

The next morning, Liev woke up early, tormented by nightmares all night. Even though there was no work for him, as he usually spent his mornings cleaning the pen and feeding the animals, his body habitually woke up early. Should I take a walk outside? It should be fine as long as I’m not running away. Liev gently pushed the door towards the hallway to see if it was locked from the outside. The door opened without much resistance.

“Oh….”

Maybe I should explore the building a bit. As he swung the door wide open, something caught under the door. 

“Hmm…?”

Did I leave something behind? As Liev pulled the door back inside, what was caught under the door revealed itself. 

“Acacia flowers…?”

The flower, dried up and devoid of moisture, seemed fit only as a snack for herbivores. It was crushed under the door, losing its shape and crumbling to pieces.

“Why is this?”

It was a tree commonly found throughout the Airen Kingdom. Even when he was confined to Count Vasil’s estate, he often picked these flowers when fetching water from the nearby spring. Except for the areas where the forests couldn’t be accessed, it appeared that flowers were blooming around here as well.

Judging by its condition, it seemed to have been picked quite a while ago.

Considering the time when Acacia tree flowers bloom, it must have been picked several months ago. Why is it here? As Liev tilted his head in confusion, he heard the sound of knights outside the building shouting commands and starting their training. Everyone seemed energized in the morning. Liev was in a slightly dazed state from being caught so suddenly, especially because he had just had a dream of parting ways with Renard. When will I be able to return to the research institute? Or can I even return? With the rising sun, worries began to creep up from the tips of his toes again.

As Liev returned to his room, having lost all motivation, some time passed before someone knocked.

Who is it?

Has the decision about his fate finally been made? When Liev got up and opened the door, the attendant who guided him yesterday greeted him. 

“Um, could you accompany me to the conference room right now?” 

Even if he insisted that he didn’t want to go, nothing would change, the only ones suffering were those caught in the middle. Liev nodded slowly and followed the attendant. While on the way to the meeting room, Liev casually voiced the curiosity that had popped into his mind. 

“By any chance, are there any animals roaming around the barracks?” 

Cats, dogs, or even small animals like squirrels were known to roam freely, dropping whatever they had in their mouths anywhere. Curious, he asked, and the attendant immediately tilted his head. 

“Well…? I don’t think there have been such instances here. We tend to monitor and control quite thoroughly here.” 

While Liev shrugged nonchalantly, the two of them found themselves back at the place where Liev had been surrounded and persuaded by several people yesterday. 

“Well then, I’ll see you again when you move later.” 

As the attendant stepped back, Liev sighed and opened the door to enter. Inside the meeting room, not much different from yesterday, were the familiar faces, and today, even Renard was present. Liev tried to avoid even glancing at Renard and asked. 

“What happened?” 

In response, Reinhart ran his hand through his brown hair streaked with white, expressing his frustration and regret.

“First of all, as the commander of the White Eagle Knights, I must deliver a deeply regrettable message.” 

From the beginning, he had a bad feeling. What kind of news were they about to share? Were they going to inform him that they had no choice but to place him in Renard’s grasp? However, what fell beneath Liev’s feet was even more shocking than that. 

“It might sound absurd to say this, but there is one piece of good news for you and one piece of bad news. Which one would you like to hear first?” 

With such a question, their answer was already decided. Hiding his nervous expression, Liev answered,

“I’ll start with the bad news first.” 

Then Reinhart sighed again and began to speak. 

“I summarized your testimony from yesterday and reported it to His Majesty. His Majesty has issued two rulings against you. First, you are to be charged as an accomplice to Vasily Pask Fernando, the criminal who endangered the entire Ailen region, for aiding him in his conspiracy to invade the kingdom.”

What kind of bullsh*t is this? He furrowed his brow in disbelief. Glancing around, he noticed that everyone was avoiding his gaze, their faces filled with guilt. Realizing that he had no one here to support him, Liev quickly retorted. 

“I was only five or six years old when I was kidnapped by him under human trafficking. Do you really think it makes sense to accuse a child forced into labor of being an accomplice?”

As Liev immediately protested, Reinhart responded with an embarrassed expression. 

“Of course, I completely agree with what you’re saying. However, in special circumstances like treason, the King’s ruling takes precedence over the law of the land, so unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do. But now, let me share some good news.”

Whatever it was, there was no way it would reach Liev’s ears right now. What nonsense. Don’t talk trash. Despite being a person who rarely uttered curses except when faced with truly scum human beings, Shit, I shouldn’t have trusted the common sense of the main characters. He never expected the king to be such a problem. 

“Are you giving me the disease and then offering the cure? After I went through all the trouble to prevent you from having to fight a dragon, you’re turning around and saying that I’m a criminal because I was somehow involved?”

Facing this irrational situation, Liev, who was not easily accepting it, was far from being a submissive adult. Just looking at how he did not succumb to Reinhart’s persuasion yesterday and spoke his mind, it was clear to all members of the White Eagle Knights that he was not an ordinary young man.

“What can I say? Doesn’t he speak like a very old man?”

“Doesn’t he give off a vibe similar to Wilton Viscount…?”

The Viscount was a bureaucrat who managed supplies for the White Eagle Knights. In his early forties, he was a man who prioritized principles, always scolding the free-spirited members with a picky and stubborn attitude. Not only did he look down on others, but there was no trace of the vitality that a young man in his prime should exude. All that could be sensed in him was a calm and solemn demeanor.

Anyway, Liev decided to voice his objections again after hearing what this so-called good news was. In case Liev might interrupt, Reinhart quickly continued the explanation.

“You will also be considered for your actions, not only as his subordinate but also for burning down the mansion used as a secret laboratory and releasing the dragon kept as a weapon when you escaped. His Majesty plans to take these factors into account in the decision. The trial is scheduled to take place after the Feast of Saint Miguel.” 

The Feast of Saint Miguel was a holiday where ice, manufactured and stored in a specially treated warehouse to help people endure the summer heat, was distributed to the citizens. Since it was currently spring, this meant that he would be kept in confinement for at least four months. 

“……” 

When Liev silently glared at Reinhard with a hardened expression, Reinhard sighed again.

“Anyway, His Majesty has no intention of imposing severe punishment on you. Until the trial results are announced, you will be required to cease your work at the research institute and stay in a designated residence under the protection of the White Eagle Knights.” 

In other words, they intended to drag this out. During this period, whether through threats or persuasion, they would try to convince Liev to accept their intentions for the outcome of the trial.

This f*cking monarchy. Although Airen had civilized laws, in cases related to treason or where the king’s discretion took precedence, whether Liev would become a criminal or a hero who prevented Count Vasil would entirely depend on the king’s judgment.

If I become a treasonous criminal here… 

My comfortable and peaceful daily life will shatter into pieces. I can already feel my headache pounding as I wonder how many more people will torment me before the trial begins.