Carson cruelly smiled and, with fingers adorned with new suede gloves, lifted the courtier’s chin.

“While you were away, Martin Blake spilled all the facts.”

Carson made eye contact with the courtier while raising one corner of his mouth. Martin would surely be thinking that an Emperor who took away a Duke’s daughter at will wouldn’t hesitate about his younger sister.

“Mansuut Duke planned this to inaugurate Anthony as the Emperor.”

The courtier couldn’t avoid Carson’s gaze, turning pale in fear.

“Isn’t that right?”

“That… yes.”
He responded to the Emperor’s words as if he were enchanted, unable to even breathe.

“Like this, so easily?”

Carson firmly gripped the courtier’s chin, extending his fingers long. Then, he lightly tapped the courtier’s cheek as if praising it.

“But a very wise judgment.”

After releasing the courtier’s chin, Carson immediately gave orders to the knights standing behind him. He commanded them to muzzle Martin Blake even if it required putting a gag in his mouth, ensuring he wouldn’t be able to bite his tongue.

In an instant, Martin struggled and shouted.

“Are you, are you going to spare my sister’s life?”

Carson laughed incredulously.

“I’ll let you meet. Whether she lives or dies.”

After finishing his words, he immediately turned his gaze to Noah.

“How about it? This should be enough for a pretext, right?”

Noah nodded. There was no longer any reason to hesitate, as Martin hadn’t revealed anything. Even if Carson Von Raymond had to fabricate evidence or create testimony that didn’t exist, he would do it. If he was the Carson Von Raymond that Noah knew.

But Noah needed one last safety net. Even if he couldn’t gain the upper hand in this war, he wished Carson Von Raymond would survive. It was his pitiful and lingering hope.

Of course, what Carson waited for wasn’t a pretext. He was waiting for the Lady, who would be exchanged for Ines’s life. So, there was no reason for Noah to intervene any longer, and indeed, there was no pretext left.

“Attach the Lady’s outer garment to the knight’s banner.”

“I will adhere to the orders.”

“Hurry, I’ll go myself.”

The day before the Emperor’s wedding, rebellion’s storm swept through the capital of the Cainz Empire once again.

Now that they knew the Lady had been abducted, the Duke of Mansuut wouldn’t move secretly anymore. The fight between the wavering aristocrats and the Emperor had entered a critical phase.

Booniface had no soldiers. It was unlikely to expect soldiers from Landhill and Monstera due to the sudden war. The temple’s holy knights had no aptitude for combat.

However, Mansuut had likely mobilized the aristocrats already. Therefore, Carson had no choice but to face them only with the Imperial Knights.

Just then, a knight from the Imperial Harem approached, bowing in front of him. Carson stopped at the sight of her visibly tired appearance.

“What’s the matter?”

“Last night, under the Empress’s orders, I went to Haliven with Sir Marcus Knights.”

Carson held his breath and tilted his head slightly toward the sky at her explanation.

According to her subsequent explanation, the Empress’s knights did not see Ines. When they went to the casino in Haliven, it was empty. However, soon after, a carriage filled with wine appeared.

“I sneaked into the carriage where Sir Marcus was filling the wine. He probably went to the enemies’ headquarters.”

Carson sighed deeply.

Marcus is with Ines. Just the fact alone allowed him to breathe, if only for a moment.
It had been a long time. The moments when Marcus Knights protected Ines in Carson’s absence.

Even when surrounded by ghosts, wielding a sword and rushing toward the rain-drenched path, even during the time he wandered in the darkness as a temple maiden, and not too long ago, just before facing a major attack involved in a embezzlement incident.

And even at this very moment.

Whether he liked it or not, Marcus was not only Ines’s guardian but also a benefactor to him.

And the fortunate thing was that wherever Marcus was present, Ines was always safe. At least for now, it provided Carson with considerable comfort.

“We’ve set our course from Haliven to Leuvin.”

Leuvin was in the opposite direction from where wealthy nobles resided. Mansuut had confined Ines to a place where there was no connection whatsoever.

“We could follow them on horseback up to a certain point, but we lost them in the middle. I saw them until the carriage disappeared while climbing the hill in the middle of the mountains, so we should be able to trace them up to that point.”

Carson nodded. Now, it was clear where the war should unfold.

“Noah.”

“At your command.”

“Inform Mansuut right away that the Lady is in the imperial palace. Officially.”

“Understood.”

“And from this point onward, declare the Duke of Mansuut as a rebel. Announce that anyone assisting him will be considered a participant in treason.”

“Yes, understood.”

“And.”

Noah immediately snapped to attention at the following command. From this point forward, not a single mistake or delay would be tolerated.

“Along the road from Haliven to Leuvin, there is a mountain.”

“Are you referring to Mount Elin?”

“Yes, take the Lady and head in that direction. Our first battle will take place there.”

“I will make preparations.”