Before the fallen king, Logan stood rigidly with a bottle of alcohol in hand. As the eyes of the royal knights and attendants all concentrated on him, time seemed to stop in the room.
“Your Majesty!”
Although officials, including Cleo, rushed to the king’s side, the silence was broken by the hesitant royal knights who captured Logan, even as they struggled to move themselves.
Meanwhile, Logan, who had been standing dazed, quickly regained his sharp gaze.
‘This is ridiculous…’ He was utterly flabbergasted.
He had considered the possibility of the king playing some new trick, but he never expected something this extreme.
Self-harm? By the king?
‘Damn it.’ He had been completely blindsided.
‘If I use force here…’ He would be labeled a traitor beyond doubt.
As Logan watched the approaching knights and pondered his next move, his anxious master’s voice reached him.“Logan, what in the world…”
“It wasn’t me. Surely you must know that?” Logan retorted to his surprised master and smirked at the sight of the knights’ drawn swords.
The tension escalated when the knights raised their energy.
“Step back. I shall go on my own accord.” With a cold face, Logan brushed aside the swords of the royal guards and looked back at the fallen king.
He gazed upon the face of the vibrant young prince whom he had made a king.
‘How did it come to this?’ A bitter sigh escaped him.
‘To the point of self-harm, you detested me that much? But why?’ Unfathomable hatred.
His rising irritation and anger were naturally directed at the official who was screaming beside the fallen king.
‘Is this also your doing, Cleo?’ It was a question he couldn’t voice in this situation.
Logan suppressed the rising killing intent and turned around with forced composure.
“Where am I to go now?”
“Th-, that is… You must go to the underground prison.”
“Lead the way.” Surrounded by knights, which almost seemed like an honor guard, Logan left the king’s office.
* * *
Rumors began to spread suddenly throughout the capital that Logan McClain had attempted to assassinate the king.
Initially dismissed as nonsense, the whispers became rampant once it was confirmed that Logan had been confined in the dungeon of the castle. “Why would Logan McClain do such a thing?”
“What utter nonsense.”
“If you don’t want to be ridiculed, stop spreading wild rumors.” Yet when the majority of nobles fell into a panic over these events, their actions were divided into two camps.
“This is disastrous. How did it come to this!” Earl Roberts Floyd paced back and forth in his living room, deep in thought.
‘Everyone knows of the conflict between the king and his son-in-law. Whether it’s true or not, this cannot end well.’
Earl Roberts, having made his decision, ordered his butler.
“Connect me to McClain! And prepare to leave the capital immediately!”
“Yes, what?!”
“Hurry! We must be swift!” Despite the butler’s stunned reaction, the earl began to gather his valuables without hesitation.
Some nobles had already hidden deep within the capital or returned to their territories, feeling the ominous tension, while others chose to wait and see how the situation unfolded.
Despite the unexpected turn of events, many believed that Logan and the Sword Saint, being master and disciple, would keep the situation from escalating. However, the reaction from Logan’s McClain territory was predictably more severe.
“The Grand Duke?”
“Such nonsense!”
“What would our lord lack that he’d resort to this!” The McClain terriotry’s citizens vehemently criticized the king, and Logan’s fiancée and her personal servant, with faces filled with anger, rushed to their lord.
An emergency council was called immediately.
Bang!
“What in the world is going on!” Patrick McClain’s angry roar quieted the gathered vassals, and Dwayne, the representative of the vassals, stepped forward.
“It seems that the Grand Duke is indeed imprisoned. The Sword Saint asks us to wait as he assesses the situation and convinces the king…”
“Wait? Wait for what? My son to be executed?”
“Perhaps if we wait… there’s a certain logic that cannot be ignored.”
“Still, we cannot simply do nothing. Mobilize all troops! Prepare for war!”
“Lord!!” Patrick’s radical orders changed the atmosphere amongst the vassals.
“If the king hears that we are preparing for war, the Grand Duke might be in greater danger!”
“No! Logan would not be easily taken down, act as I commanded!”
“Lord!!”
“This shall be a warning to the king! If something happens to my son, I will overturn the kingdom!”
“Yes?!” The vassals’ eyes turned to Patrick. Honor and chivalry had always been Patrick McClain’s lifelong pursuit. His allegiance to the king was a fundamental principle of his beliefs. But now, seeing his son in danger, all other considerations became secondary.
“Prepare for war!” Anger filled Patrick’s voice, filling the hall, and McClain’s forces began to move rapidly.
* * *
The critically ill king, thanks to the bishops’ holy power, quickly recovered and rose from his bed. The news only fueled the public’s suspicions.
“The hero laid hands on him?”
“Isn’t it too strange?”
“What exactly is happening to the kingdom…” It was obvious to anyone that these developments were peculiar.
However, the king immediately ordered a purge after waking up. – Arrest everyone related to the traitor Logan McClain!
With the king’s command, the royal guards sprang into action, and most of the ministerial council based in the capital were captured.
It is widely assumed that the only reason they were imprisoned instead of summarily executed was due to the Sword Saint’s intervention.
The king’s loud ranting from the office and the sounds of the Sword Saint trying to calm him down became an open secret.
Amidst the unusual movements of McClain’s troops, the kingdom’s nobles became even more vigilant.
– War might break out again. –
If McClain turns rebellious…
– The worst civil war could erupt. As the kingdom became shrouded in ominous sentiment, the very person who had sparked the entire affair remained secluded, without news.
A spacious room, soft light exuding from a gentle lamp, and luxurious furnishings, including a bed with silk covers, a desk, and a dining table. On one side was a washroom with a door.
Excluding the fact that no sunlight entered and everything was enclosed by iron bars, it felt like an opulent noble’s suite.
‘Well, it is a noble-exclusive.’ Logan chuckled to himself, waking up. Although he was prepared to stay in deep meditation for days, he had sensed a familiar presence.
“Awake, are you?”
“How could I continue to lie with closed eyes when my master is present?” The blurred light of the lamp revealed a familiar face.
“Do you have any idea what has happened?” More white hair and wrinkles were noticeable on the master’s face, inspiring a small sigh from Logan.
“What I suspect is probably similar to what you think. Or rather, it’s a deduction that most can make in this situation.”
“You mean the king’s self-harm?”
“You knew, then.” The hint of derision from his student made the Sword Saint wear a bitter expression.
“How could I not know.” “Blind faith can sometimes completely blind one to the truth. And you, master, are one of the strongest believers I know.” Logan bitterly smiled as he nuanced his words.
How could Felix Esperanza, the kingdom’s strongest Aura user, be a fool? Yet sometimes, his convictions seemed to cloud his judgment, especially regarding the king and the royal family.
Logan contemplated his master entertaining a different perspective on the situation. The Sword Saint, looking into his disciple’s eyes, sighed deeply and continued.
“But things aren’t looking good, Logan. Too many witnesses, and the timing was just too perfect. And the poison…”
“They must have indeed prepared for this moment.” The mocking tone made the master grunt in assent.
“A lethal poison capable of piercing through the magic of the Sovereign’s Crown the king possesses. It was by sheer luck that his life was spared.”
“If I had actually intended to harm His Majesty, I would have used Aura there, not poison.”
And no one would have been able to stop him. Not even you, master. The implicit honesty was left unsaid, but the master nodded gravely.
“Yes, that would be the case. But given the gravity of the situation, there are those siding with the king’s stance. Starting with that Cleo.”
“So it was him after all…”
“Additionally, the king is pushing quite strongly for your punishment.”
“Of course, he would. So, how long must I remain here? An expedited conclusion would be helpful for me to determine my next steps.” ‘Punishment’ not ‘conclusion.’
An overt statement that he would not accept the king’s verdict. The master’s expression darkened.
“I’m trying to persuade His Majesty, so please wait a little longer. Endure it, however uncomfortable.”
‘Really? After self-harm to trap me, you think he will listen?’ Even if the king decides not to punish and releases him…
‘I will no longer hold back, Master.’
Despite the burning anger, seeing his master evidently aged made it impossible for Logan to voice his thoughts.
“I will wait.”
“Yes. I’ll… no, forget it. I will return later.”
The master started to say something but stopped, sighed deeply, and turned away.
‘What were you about to say?’ Despite his curiosity, the question was swallowed by the rising fury within.
And then…
“Aaaaaargh!”
Boom.
Unable to contain his anger any longer, Logan’s outraged roar echoed through the dark dungeons.