That can’t be. Logan Redford wouldn’t do such a forceful and barbaric act.

Rather, he would threaten or persuade the other party to stay voluntarily.

“Am I, um, not allowed to go out that door?”

“That’s not it, but I think Lord Warden needs rest and stability… And the doctor said he’d come back in the afternoon.”

“Is that my medicine?”

“Yes, he said it’s medicine to reduce inflammation and help recovery.”

Jane took out a pill from a small medicine container and handed it over with a glass of water.

As the throbbing pain was still there, Sidney swallowed the pill and water at once.

“Then tell Betty, who lives at 36 Dustin Avenue, Apartment 204, not to go to my house for a while.”

“Should I ask her to bring Lord Warden’s clothes as well?”

It’s a good idea, but if those who are desperate to kill me are guarding around the house…

“No, that could put Betty in danger.”

Jane hesitated while holding the bedside table, then muttered in a small voice.

“Lord Warden is really kind.”

“…?”

About to lie back down on the bed, Sidney looked up quietly, asking what she meant. Jane blushed shyly and added an explanation.

“Most nobles don’t care about the safety of their servants.”

That’s too much of a stretch. I just didn’t like the situation where others would be troubled because of me.

“It’s not particularly because of that.”

Sidney drew a firm line as if it was absurd.

Jane smiled brightly saying, “Ah, yes. That’s right.” She put down the bedside table and approached. Then, with quite a deft touch, she helped Sidney lie down again.

“Thank you. But… is that medicine a sleeping pill?”

“Yes, the doctor said you’ll sleep soundly for three hours after taking the medicine. Patients need to sleep a lot, don’t they?”

“Ah… I see…”

So that’s why Logan said to rest. Well, I wouldn’t have been able to go out anyway. With Maid Jane’s smiling face as the last thing she saw, Sidney’s eyelids grew heavy and closed.

The atmosphere in the Commander-in-Chief’s office at Imperial Army Headquarters was so quiet it was almost desolate.

Along with the occasional sound of turning pages, wrinkles increased on Commander-in-Chief Harrison Asner’s forehead.

Thud, he threw the document down on the reception table as if discarding it and clicked his tongue as if perplexed.

It was no wonder, as Harrison Asner was also a member of the Asner family, which had maintained neutrality for generations, and he was someone who extremely disliked the military being swayed by politics.

So when Logan Redford, the heir to the Redford family who was virtually the leader of the Imperial faction, came to ask for the urgent arrest of Dean Hamilton, the second son-in-law of Duke Yant, the leader of the aristocratic faction, it was bound to be awkward.

“Major Redford, I cannot sign this urgent arrest warrant.”

Walter Asner stepped up to counter on Logan’s behalf.

“I am Captain Walter Asner, in charge of the Conrad case. Commander-in-Chief, this is a case where three powerless Imperial citizens were brutally murdered. It’s the police force of this country that tried to cover up the crime of a serial killer who committed such an atrocious act by treating the serial murder case as suicide by the victims.”

The police force, which should be responsible for the safety of Marsel citizens, attempted to cover up the crimes of a serial killer who murdered multiple civilians.

The implication was that since the police force couldn’t be trusted, the Imperial Army commander should step in.

Harrison Asner glared at his nephew with a look of disapproval and admonished him.

“That’s why I’m saying this. As it’s a matter concerning the Imperial Guard and the police force, which are agencies under the Imperial Army, we should handle it through proper procedures.”

It sounds nice to say ‘procedures’. He meant to hand over all investigation and arrests to the police force.

Logan Redford, who had been quietly observing, opened his heavy mouth.

“Commander-in-Chief, the Imperial Guard has a duty to protect the Imperial Family, and the police force has a duty to protect the Imperial citizens. The proper procedure you just mentioned is for the Imperial Army to step in when these two agencies conflict due to their interests.”

It was a declaration of war that the Imperial Guard would step in on behalf of the police force that failed to protect the Imperial citizens.

It was also a subtle warning that it would be better for the Imperial Army to take the lead in a more presentable manner.

“Do you intend to escalate this incident after all?”

“Yesterday, Captain Sidney Warden and I were attacked in Marsel, the capital of the Arsnel Empire. In the process, Captain Warden is in critical condition due to injuries.”

For a moment, silence fell over the office. Despite already knowing the content, Walter Asner’s face contorted miserably.

Looking at his nephew with concern, Harrison roughly rubbed his chin and mouth area with his hand.

‘Damn, that guy’s gone crazy again. Since Warden is hurt, it’ll be useless to try to stop him.’

Knowing his nephew well, who would rush in recklessly for Sidney Warden’s sake, Harrison Asner’s forehead wrinkles deepened further.

“Is there evidence of police involvement?”

“A police officer, Hamel Leiker. He confessed that he hired mercenaries to target Captain Warden and me.”

A lie. Logan Redford slipped himself in without changing his expression. This was enough to persuade the hesitant Harrison Asner.

If he couldn’t stop his nephew from running wild like a ruffian anyway, it would be better to lend his support along with the Redford heir.

“So you want to bring Earl Dean Hamilton to a military trial.”

“He touched an Imperial Army officer who returned after achieving merits on the battlefield for the country.”

Logan Redford emphasized the words ‘Imperial Army officer’ and ‘country’.

For Harrison Asner, who had lived his entire life as a soldier protecting his country and had lost countless subordinates and colleagues on the battlefield, those two words held a special meaning.

Harrison Asner picked up his pen and glared at the urgent arrest warrant. Then, with a sigh close to lamentation, he asked a question.

“Hah… Is Captain Warden alright?”

“Enough for you to sign that, Commander-in-Chief.”

At Logan Redford’s urging, the pen rolled. With the Imperial Army Commander-in-Chief’s signature and seal. Logan picked up the ‘urgent arrest warrant’ and saluted with precision.

Harrison Asner called out to his nephew who was about to follow Logan out.

“Walter, it’s your father’s death anniversary in a week. No matter how much you hate him, a son should be present for his father.”

“Commander-in-Chief, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. I only have one parent, my grandfather.”

Without even looking back, Walter said his piece and left just like that.

Armed Imperial soldiers on horseback galloped along the white mansions stretching along the Long Beach coastline.

Breaking through the bitter cold and sea breeze, they arrived at a white mansion built on a hill.

The knights guarding the main gate paled and retreated at the ‘urgent arrest warrant’ Logan showed.

Some of the soldiers who passed through the main gate surrounded the building on horseback to prevent anyone from escaping.

When Logan, who had been commanding the Imperial Army in an orderly manner at the forefront, raised his hand, everyone leapt off their horses.

The man leading the knights of the Hamilton family blocked Logan Redford’s path.

“I am Victor Byles, the captain of the Hamilton family’s knights. What is the matter?”

Behind the captain of the Hamilton family’s knights, the knights raised their hands to their scabbards, creating a confrontational situation.

Amidst the tense atmosphere, Logan unfolded the arrest warrant and said,

“I am Imperial Army Major Logan Redford. By order of the Imperial Army Commander-in-Chief, I am here to urgently arrest Earl Dean Hamilton for serial murder and attempting to have Imperial Army officers assassinated.”

“Everyone, stand down.”

After confirming the authenticity of the arrest warrant, the captain of the Hamilton family’s knights shouted loudly.

As soon as the order was given, the Hamilton family’s knights unanimously took their hands off their swords and made way.

They probably feared the aftermath if they clashed here.

Logan handed the urgent arrest warrant to Walter Asner and shouted loudly.

“Search the mansion!”

“Yes, sir!”

Walter Asner ran into the mansion with the soldiers.

The screams of surprised women, the sound of something breaking, and the sound of doors being opened and closed loudly hinted at the situation inside the mansion.

As Logan Redford was about to move, the knight captain Victor Byles spoke.

“Logan, it’s been a while.”

Victor Byles was Logan’s academy classmate and a colleague who had served together in the 6th Battalion led by Steve Deniro.

They were once friends, but since Anthony Warden’s death, the two had become like oil and water, never to be together again. And now he’s suddenly acting familiar…

Logan glanced at his old friend with the corner of his eye and passed by. Victor Byles, who had turned to follow his friend who was ignoring him, moved his lips a few times but stopped.

Bang, Walter Asner and the soldiers kicked down the door as if to break it and burst into the dining room.

Unlike Earl Dean Hamilton who stood up startled, his wife Princess Catherine raised one eyebrow as she stopped cutting her steak.

“Lord Asner, what is the meaning of this!”

Walter Asner lightly ignored Dean Hamilton’s question and strode forward. He placed the urgent arrest warrant in front of Princess Catherine and said,

“By the authority of the Imperial Army Commander-in-Chief, we are here to urgently arrest Earl Dean Hamilton.”

Princess Catherine put down her fork and knife and elegantly picked up the urgent arrest warrant.

She hadn’t been shaken by the sudden intrusion of the Imperial Army or the news of her husband’s arrest. But as she read through the arrest warrant, her face gradually hardened.

After taking a light breath, Princess Catherine glared at her husband and trailed off,

“Charges of murdering three women and attempting to have two Imperial Army officers assassinated…”

Contempt and anger shadowed her face. All those negative emotions were directed at her husband.

As if finally coming to his senses, Dean Hamilton belatedly defended himself with an aggrieved expression.

“Catherine, this is a false accusation. I wouldn’t have touched Imperial Army officers unless I was out of my mind.”

“So you had someone try to kill them instead?”

Princess Catherine sneered, pulling up the corners of her mouth mockingly.

His wife, who should have taken his side, had instead uttered words unfavorable to him. Earl Dean Hamilton quickly looked around.

Then, spotting Logan Redford walking out from among the soldiers, he raised his voice unnecessarily.

“What nonsense is this!”

Princess Catherine put down the napkin she had been wiping her mouth with and stood up.

Sunlight poured down behind her plain brown dress without any decorations and her neatly arranged blonde hair. Princess Catherine slowly raised her gaze to look at her husband.

As if realizing his mistake, Dean Hamilton kissed his wife’s hand and apologized.

“My dear, I’m sorry for raising my voice. I mean… let’s refrain from speaking now since there are eyes watching.”

A gentle voice and an enchanting smile. Dean Hamilton’s beauty was still intact, belying his age in his mid-thirties.

As Dean Hamilton whispered “my love,” a gentle smile spread across Princess Catherine’s lips.

In the warm atmosphere reminiscent of the photo that had graced the front pages of newspapers as the ‘scandal of the century,’ Princess Catherine spoke calmly.