Ch.248248. ····Is This Treason?

“Wh-What did you say?”

“Father-in-law, have you arrived?”

“Father-in-law… Father-in-law… Father-in-law…”

After repeating the words several times, Emperor Malius cleared his throat with a flushed face, seemingly not displeased.

“Yes, my son-in-law.”

At Emperor Malius’s single statement, all the holy knights, including Alexis, the vice-captain, stood with their mouths agape.

Meanwhile, my performance continued.

“Sigh… I’ve been through so much trouble because of my father-in-law.”

“What’s the reason?”

“These so-called holy knights barged into the inn where I was staying and nearly killed me today.”

Emperor Malius immediately hardened his expression and looked around at the holy knights.

“What…? Nearly killed?”

Then, Alexis, the vice-captain of the holy knights, hesitated awkwardly before struggling to speak.

“Th-That’s not it. It was a fair duel with Sir Lionel, our Holy Knight Captain. The residents of the territory witnessed the duel in the plaza.”

However.

Vice-Captain Alexis didn’t seem to know me well.

This confusion was just the beginning.

I gazed at Emperor Malius with doe-like eyes.

“I wanted to ask someone for help, but the Holy Knight Captain brought all his knights to threaten me, and I had no choice but to duel.”

“…Why did he do such a thing?”

“He claimed I kidnapped Saint Claudia. I was only bringing Saint Claudia to the imperial palace under Your Majesty’s orders…”

Having grasped the situation, Emperor Malius strode to the reception room sofa and took a seat opposite Vice-Captain Alexis.

“Is the temple declaring that it’s not part of the Eastern Continent?”

Alexis waved his hands frantically, beyond confusion and seemingly horrified.

“N-No, that’s not it.”

“Then how could you challenge my son-in-law to a duel even after he explained?”

“That wasn’t my decision, but Lionel’s, who was the Holy Knight Captain…”

“You’re not the Holy Knight Captain? Then where is this Lionel now?”

As Emperor Malius looked around for the Holy Knight Captain Lionel, Alexis let out a short sigh.

“…Lionel has passed away.”

“Passed away…?”

“Yes, he died during the duel with Selden Alphonse.”

Emperor Malius looked at me with a slightly puzzled expression.

I immediately bowed and continued speaking.

“He made me sign a ‘mana-infused contract’ to prepare for any contingency. He wanted to ensure nothing would happen even if I died.”

At that, Alexis glanced at His Majesty the Emperor and raised his voice.

“Wh-What are you saying? Wasn’t it a fair duel?”

Hearing Alexis’s words, I immediately curled up the corners of my mouth.

The perceptive Emperor Malius adjusted his posture and added fuel to the fire.

“Are you saying you wanted a fair duel with the imperial family?”

“…Pardon?”

He must be flustered.

Yes, he should be flustered.

What did Alexis do to me earlier?

Despite Lionel initiating the duel challenge and making me sign a contract, when he died, Alexis threatened me, saying the temple might pressure me.

But now.

Now he’s saying it doesn’t matter because we both agreed to the duel and signed a mana-infused contract?

Why didn’t he acknowledge that earlier?

What’s the use of saying that now, after learning I’m the Emperor’s son-in-law?

“…Is this treason?”

At Emperor Malius’s low voice, Alexis prostrated himself and trembled.

“I-I’m sorry. We didn’t know Selden Alphonse was an imperial person.”

“Even if you didn’t know he was an imperial person, you surely knew he brought Saint Claudia to the imperial palace under my orders?”

“Th-That… I…”

It was a critical moment where one wrong word could turn the Lukius territory, including the temple, into ruins.

The holy knights gathered in the reception room were terrified, and how much more so their vice-captain?

Swish-!

I slightly raised my head to look at Balthazar.

Then I winked and nodded toward Emperor Malius, and Balthazar stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, may I dare to speak?”

Emperor Malius, having met Balthazar several times before, slightly eased the dark atmosphere and spoke.

“Speak.”

“Our temple is in the Lukius territory, so naturally, we belong to the Eastern Continent.”

“Knowing that, why did this happen? Have I been too lenient with the Lukius territory’s affairs?”

“…I apologize.”

“Let me ask once more. Are you truly saying you wanted a fair duel with the imperial family?”

“No, we did not.”

Emperor Malius showed a satisfied smile before hiding it and raising his voice.

“Then why did that fellow earlier try to insult me by claiming it was a fair duel between the temple and the imperial family?”

Balthazar swallowed hard.

Then he glanced at me.

Once again, I winked, and he adjusted his posture and continued speaking.

“…That was just Vice-Captain Alexis’s opinion. And…”

This was a perfect divide-and-conquer strategy.

Leaving Alexis with a devastated expression, Balthazar continued.

“Due to the death of our Holy Knight Captain Lionel, Alexis has temporarily taken the position in haste.”

“So you’re asking for understanding because he’s inexperienced? Even if one slip of the tongue costs all the holy knights their lives?”

Unfazed by Emperor Malius’s thundering voice, Balthazar knelt.

“The opinion of our holy knights differs. We do not consider Selden Alphonse bringing Saint Claudia to the imperial palace as kidnapping.”

“…Is that true?”

At that moment, after listening silently, I joined the conversation to help Balthazar.

“It’s the truth. Balthazar could have easily stopped me, but when I mentioned Your Majesty’s orders, he cleared the way and even guided me to ensure a safer journey.”

“Hmm…”

The holy knights still wore terrified expressions.

They were even more so because Alexis’s slip of the tongue had put their necks on the line.

Emperor Malius stroked his beard and clicked his tongue.

“Tsk, tsk, an incompetent person taking the position of vice-captain nearly cost not only his subordinates’ lives but also the entire Lukius territory.”

Once again, a suffocating atmosphere formed, so tense it was hard to breathe.

Everyone knew that the previous statement was no light joke.

Moreover.

What drove them further into fear was Emperor Malius’s slight gesture.

Creeeeak-!

At his gesture, the guards opened the reception room doors.

Beyond them, a vast number of knights were lined up in the corridor.

The atmosphere suggested they were ready to annihilate the holy knights at any moment.

Emperor Malius clicked his tongue again and surveyed the holy knights.

“If it weren’t for Balthazar, you wouldn’t have returned alive.”

The holy knights swallowed dryly, rolling their eyes nervously.

Emperor Malius continued, unfazed.

“I intend to meet Saint Claudia frequently in the future. Is there anyone who objects to my words?”

Even if someone had objections, would there be a madman who could express his opinion in this situation?

Emperor Malius was truly remarkable.

He naturally navigated the situation like a snake slithering over a wall, reading the atmosphere and adjusting his stance accordingly.

He threatened appropriately without overwhelming his opponents.

Balthazar, also sensing Emperor Malius’s intentions, immediately bowed.

“None.”

“Are you representing the holy knights now?”

Balthazar glanced at Alexis, who wore a despairing expression, and then turned his gaze toward the holy knights.

He seemed to be asking, ‘Am I the representative now?’

In response, all the holy knights nodded with tense gazes.

“Yes, I am speaking as the representative of the holy knights now.”

“So you’re saying it’s acceptable for me to meet with Saint Claudia frequently in the future?”

“…Yes, that’s correct.”

Emperor Malius stroked his beard again with a satisfied expression.

“Then I’d like you to accompany me when I meet Saint Claudia in the future.”

“M-Me?”

“From what I’ve seen, you seem to be the right material to become the next Holy Knight Captain.”

“…Pardon?”

Emperor Malius turned his head and directed his gaze toward the holy knights.

“Balthazar saved your lives today. Isn’t that enough to qualify him as the next Holy Knight Captain?”

It was just one justification.

If I hadn’t been connected to the imperial family, Emperor Malius wouldn’t have pressured the holy knights to this extent.

The holy knights exchanged glances, and then one of them raised his voice.

“Y-Yes, that’s right!”

Simultaneously, the other holy knights also responded in unison.

Emperor Malius subtly approached me and whispered in my ear.

“Damn you… are you satisfied now?”