Regressor of the Fallen Family Novel - Chapter 325
Chapter 325:
“The empire’s princess has come under attack!”
“Will this lead to a conflict?”
“Well, they mentioned she wasn’t seriously injured.”
“Even so, it’s from our royal residence…”
The atmosphere in the capital suddenly turned tense.
The princess of the most powerful nation, although not officially royal, had royal lineage and was assaulted.
This raised concerns about diplomatic tensions with the empire, and more gravely, potential military clashes.
But on the flip side, it also meant that the worst-case scenario was limited to just that.
As a result, the incident left many bewildered.
[A clear explanation is demanded regarding the recent event.]
Sigh.
“What absurdity is this…?”
A protest message from the eastern imperial division.
Logan sighed heavily upon receiving the report and massaged his temples.
What was that woman’s motive exactly?
The situation was perplexing, and it only gave him a headache.
“…At least she’s not part of the imperial family.”
“If the princess had perished, there would have been a huge uproar from the imperial family.”
Dwayne and Damian, who were urgently called in, added their thoughts as Logan sat with them.
“The odd thing is the princess gains nothing from this incident.”
“What about the empire?”
“Not much for them either. Unless the princess had died or suffered severe injuries, this kind of shock doesn’t benefit much…”
Damian looked puzzled.
Seeing that, Logan felt somewhat relieved. It reassured him that he wasn’t just missing something.
“There’s only one logical explanation.”
“What is it?”
“No one goes through the trouble for no gain.”
“Unless they’re irrational.”
“Exactly. Therefore, this wasn’t the princess’s doing.”
“…Are you suggesting the attack was staged?”
“As I mentioned before, there’s no advantage to be gained. Unless she had been harmed beyond repair…”
“She wouldn’t go to such lengths to sacrifice herself for a plan.”
Individuals like royals and nobles typically wouldn’t resort to such absurd tactics.
Unless it was someone like our king, who acts on impulse without thinking…
“That’s a compliment, by the way. A form of praise.”
As Logan narrowed his eyes and stared, Damian pretended innocence and tried to clarify his statement.
‘Is this guy becoming bolder by the day?’
But there was nothing objectionable in what he said.
“If that’s the case?”
“It implies a third party is responsible.”
“I’m still uncertain of their motives.”
“Yes. A situation of this scale could have been resolved by sending some gifts to the eastern imperial department. Hence, it seems the third party’s aim wasn’t that.”
“…Were they attempting to eliminate the princess? Do they underestimate her abilities?”
“Yes.”
“The attacker’s actions align with those who targeted me and the queen before. This indicates a connection to the empire. However, there’s still no concrete evidence.”
“This suggests it could be someone within the imperial family, someone who benefits from the princess’s demise.”
“Could it be the emperor…?”
“No, it can’t be the emperor.”
Logan quickly dismissed Dwayne’s suggestion.
“If he wanted a pretext for war, he would have dispatched someone to ensure a clean kill. The scale of this incident is too small for it to be his doing.”
As Logan pictured the emperor’s dark eyes in his mind, he spoke with certainty.
“Then…?”
“It’s likely individuals who aim to stir trouble between our kingdom and the empire. It wouldn’t suit the black mages to cut off ties so hastily.”
Logan smirked at the thought of Damian’s reaction turning peculiar.
“Even though evidence is lacking, for some reason, one face comes to mind.”
“Oddly enough, I’m thinking of the same person.”
“Prince Baros.”
“The second prince.”
Logan and Damian exchanged glances, nodding in agreement.
He had consistently been pointed out as a central figure behind the disturbances in the kingdom.
And since his sudden reappearance from his disappearance, unseemly rumors surrounded him.
In essence, he had the capacity to cause chaos, but his situation had now turned troublesome.
“What concerns me is that if he’s involved, it implies he’s colluding with someone else to conspire against her. That doesn’t add up, considering the second prince shouldn’t be unaware of her capabilities.”
“It doesn’t seem logical.”
“Considering they’ve failed and left traces of betrayal behind on a mission.”
“Underestimating her capabilities is not an option.”
“Yes.”
“I doubt he’s unaware that she’s concealing her powers.”
“Indeed. If the second prince acted without knowledge…”
“He could exploit it.”
As Damian and Logan exchanged a knowing smile, Dwayne, who was observing, could only frown in silence.
* * *
– Many brave knights of McLain sacrificed themselves to confront and handle the assailants targeting Princess Luisa.
They expressed sympathy for the unforeseen event, and the astonished princess was taken care of by Count Ronian McLain.
The official statement put an end to the various rumors circulating about the assault on the princess.
Or rather, one particular rumor spread rapidly, overpowering all others.
“It was a plot orchestrated by a noble from the empire who loved the princess and harbored resentment over an engagement.”
“Count Ronian valiantly foiled it.”
“It’s rumored that Count Ronian is receiving care from the princess after sustaining severe injuries himself.”
“Oh my, does that mean…”
“True love conquers all obstacles.”
“Wow…”
The rumors stemming from the princess’s attack served to ease concerns about diplomatic strains, making people feel more heartened instead of anxious.
Furthermore, the unusual tales swiftly circulated even in the eastern part of the empire.
“This turned out positively.”
Logan chuckled upon receiving the report on public sentiment, causing Damian, who delivered the report, to offer a wry smile.
“Yes. However, if things go awry, Count Ronian may genuinely have to proceed with engagement negotiations.”
“They’ll decline. Don’t worry.”
“The individual involved seems to be in quite a predicament.”
“Inform him to persevere. The engagement was initiated on his end in the first place. With public opinion shaping up this way, the empire will find it hard to push for anything.”
“The princess shouldn’t incite any issues either.”
“Unless she wants rumors to spread that she single-handedly took down the attackers.”
For the common folk, the intrigues within the palace or international relations pale in comparison to romantic affairs; that’s how much more captivating it is.
The rumor sparked from Logan’s comments served its purpose effectively.
“…It seems your intellect is certainly sharp during these moments.”
“What? What are you implying?”
“Oh, nothing.”
However, Damian couldn’t let those words slide without further inquiry.
“Nevertheless, those… intruders you mentioned?”
“Hmm?”
“Their ease of access to the royal palace is disconcerting; shouldn’t we devise a plan?”
“Not everyone in the palace possesses abilities like His Majesty.”
That much was true.
However,
“Those individuals are not the type that can be contained with mere precautions.”
“But that doesn’t mean we should remain idle.”
“That’s also true.”
“Yes?”
At that, Damian frowned at Logan’s conflicting statements, prompting Logan to wear a peculiar smile.
“Thankfully, a viable plan worth relying on will soon emerge.”
“Yes?”
“I certainly don’t intend to let the empire’s agents roam freely in my abode.”
As Logan maintained a smile while recalling the confidential report delivered alongside the rumors from a few days earlier.
– The blueprint for setting up a large magic circle has been finalized.
In some manner, it appeared that the royal palace would indeed be the primary target for the experiment.
While Logan envisioned this with a smile, someone’s expression was once more contorting with discontent.
* * *
[These intruders from the royal palace present a significant hurdle! The princess is a crucial pawn in our schemes. Must they resort to such interference?]
Bang!
“Isn’t it due to your incompetence?”
Baros erupted in anger, glaring at the communication channel.
The three intruders mobilized for the mission had been one of the secrets he had hoped to keep hidden until the end.
Intruders who could act without his father’s permission.
They should have executed their task flawlessly. Even if they failed, they should’ve left no trace behind.
But now, with bodies left in their wake, they could only dread the Emperor’s inevitable inquiries upon his return.
‘How did I end up in this mess?’
What had gone so wrong that the intruders left behind bodies while dealing with someone resembling an ordinary citizen?
The two impossibilities had become reality, completely derailing his plans and leading to an outcome worse than if he had left things alone.
That was certainly cause for his frustration.
Yet the voice from the communication channel did not echo his sentiments at all.
[I didn’t anticipate you to be so simplistic. What a disappointment, Your Highness.]
“Do you think now is the time for evaluations!?”
[Isn’t it reasonable? Does an ambitious noble hold such urgency? Their coordination should follow proper protocol as well, and with ample time available—what’s with the rush?]
Gnash!
The emotionless gaze of the older man visible through the communication channel forced Baros to brace himself against a surge of frustration.
Though it had been quite some time since he last saw Logan McLain, the latter’s crimson eyes continued to haunt him as strongly as ever. The unsettling feeling from their previous encounter still lingered in his dreams.
It was evident that some sort of deception was at play, yet he couldn’t unearth even a sliver of evidence.
‘Is this trembling only due to my anxiety?’
Damn it.
Realizing that this thought seemed like an excuse for failure, Baros found himself unknowingly grinding his teeth.
‘At this rate, I’ll fall into the same trap as before.’
Recognizing his sorry state shook him awake.
With a deep breath, he refocused on the communication channel.
“… It appears I’ve made a grave error. I apologize.”
Those unexpected words shifted the old man’s expression.
[Oh?]
“However, I must reluctantly make another request.”
[Request?]
“Due to these intruders, it seems I will suffer losses once again. In the worst-case scenario, yet again…”
It was burdensome to articulate an idea he never wanted to voice.
Fortunately, the old man grasped the unspoken words.
[You wish to achieve results that can compensate for this failure?]
“Indeed.”
[…That’s not challenging. But I must secure one promise. That you will never engage in such actions without informing me again.]
Frowning at the old man’s demand, Baros realized it implied the presence of others who could issue him directives aside from the emperor.
To him, this felt like a tremendous blow to his pride.
Yet, there was no room for choice.
“…Understood.”
[Hmm, good. This time, I will trust your word. Then…]
As the old man’s statement trailed off, Baros found himself stuck, unable to do anything other than nod in a lackluster manner.
And a short while later…
“Your Highness. The Emperor wishes to meet with you.”
Baros calmly accepted the anticipated summons.
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