Children of the Holy Emperor Chapter 317

317. Change (2)

A trial date has been set for the Giacomo Milo case.

The criminal had not yet been arrested, but that did not really matter. In fact, his death sentence was already confirmed, and the cleanup of the Milo family was also coming to an end.

Rather than a trial, it was just an announcement of his disposition.

“Thanks to Prince Logan, the current interrogation of the criminals is going very smoothly. If this continues, we will probably be able to find additional charges and evidence against Giacomo Milo before the trial date.”

Logan’s face darkened slightly as he listened to Inquisitor Valery’s report. Because I knew very well that the ‘smooth interrogation’ that Sir Valerie was talking about was a terrible process filled with blood and screams.

Moreover, the fates of the criminals currently being interrogated are in fact drastically different depending on Logan’s nomination.

But Sir Valerie smiled and added without even noticing.

“Didn’t you drastically reduce the number of suspects? Thanks to this, the interrogators, who were nervous that they would be busy for a while, were completely let down.”

“… … .”

“It’s hard to say it’s a substitute, but the weaker interrogators are focusing on torturing a small number of criminals by devoting more time and effort to them… “Huh?”

The Inquisitor suddenly stepped on his foot and rolled on the floor.

While everyone in the monster task force was shocked by the sudden situation, Seongjin grabbed Valerie’s report with a nonchalant expression and criticized it.

“That’s pointless. Is that something worth reporting on purpose? Sir Valery. Keep it simple and to the point. “To begin with, you say too much nonsense.”

“No, sir… … .”

“I’ll take care of the rest, so you can take a break.”

It will be difficult to move for a while. I stepped on it a little hard because I had an Auror on it. Of course, you don’t have any special feelings.

Sigh-

While Rep. Djibril sprayed some sweet perfume on Sir Valerie’s feet, Seongjin flipped through the report and confirmed the main details.

Maybe it’s because I focused on fabricating the Articles of Grace, but now I have the literacy skills to read official documents like this without any problems.

Meanwhile, there was a part in the prisoners’ confession records that particularly caught Seongjin’s attention.

“uh? “Is there any mention of a workshop here?”

“work place?”

“huh. They say they received raw materials from the merchant once a month. “You delivered it to a place called a workshop, but you didn’t know what it was used for?”

“It means that there are products produced and distributed by the upper level.”

Seongjin carefully recalled the details he had received so far. All items and transaction details handled by Milo Merchants are known. There is only one item whose acquisition route has not been revealed.

Then, Logan quickly realized what Seongjin wanted to say.

“… “It’s a medicine car thing.”

“Oh, I guess that’s the case too?”

Until now, the route of obtaining medicinal tea was surprisingly shrouded in mystery. This was because it was only supplied in small quantities to the Sigismund Territory, and no one within the trade knew the source of the tea.

The only place we could hope for was the Scarzapino family, who first arranged the exclusive deal between Sigismund and Milo.

‘When Orden first requested the medicine truck, he said that there were circumstances in which he received the product directly from Ricardo Scarzapino in the early stages of distribution… … .’

But it was a strange thing. Despite the intensive investigation to date, no evidence has emerged linking the Milo merchants to Scarzapino. As if someone had erased all traces in the middle.

‘Of course, Sigurd Sigurdsson would not have handled the job so sloppily… … .’

Giacomo Milo’s wanted order was issued after he unexpectedly abandoned Riccardo and Isabella and ran away. There’s absolutely no way it was the bastard’s doing.

My guess is that Scarzzapino’s breath has reached him. It would be correct to think that the Scarzapino family, the wealthiest family on the continent, has eliminated the possibility of being implicated in the crime of devil contract.

Perhaps there was also help from within the Heresy Tribunal, which did not want to intrude on a powerful family.

‘Who are you? ‘Who did Scarzzapino’s work?’

At that time, the face of Scarzzapino’s eldest son, Dominic, whom he had met at the birthday party, suddenly flashed through Seongjin’s mind. That face resembled Isabella’s but did not resemble her, and was extremely cold.

‘Let’s touch on that bastard first.’

Seongjin, who was organizing his thoughts for a moment, opened his mouth.

“Anyway, this is the only clue we have about the medicine cart. “I need to dig a little deeper into this place called the workshop before the trial date.”

Then Logan responded as if he had been waiting.

“I will look into that.”

“Uh, you? Aren’t you busy? “What about the knights’ work?”

“I can manage to do it in parallel. I just need to sleep a little less and deal with it whenever I have time. The knights of Lilium are also helping me a lot.”

“… … .”

Seongjin, dumbfounded, looked at Logan blankly. Even so, a guy who only believes in divine power and Aurors and is overworked gets more work done here?

“Furthermore, seeing as it is so tightly hidden, it probably won’t be an easy place to find even if there is an open investigation. “It would be faster for me to move alone than to mobilize the Inquisitors.”

Of course, Logan is very sensitive to demonic energy and can sense lies like a ghost. Moreover, since he is a Dekaron Knight, he will be able to hide and hide himself better than any other veteran informant.

But is it because of my mood? For some reason, I got the feeling that this guy was rushing the investigation unreasonably. So Seongjin asked directly.

“What’s so urgent these days? What’s wrong with you? Are you going to subjugate outside the imperial capital again?”

Then, as expected, Logan flinched and looked at Seongjin.

“How did you know that?”

… what? Really?

“It hasn’t been decided yet. However, these days, requests to exterminate maritime monsters are steadily coming in from the Cyprus Union. After all, the only force that can move lightly right now is the Lilium Detachment, so it will be a foregone conclusion that I will form a punitive force.”

“… … .”

“If official approval is received from the Holy Assembly soon, I will be even busier than I am now with preparations. So, I thought I should finish what I could as much as possible before leaving.”

“No, you are the only talented person in this big empire?”

This is truly absurd.

He may say it to himself that he is in his 70s, but no matter who sees him, Logan is still a young kid! How long has it been since he’s been home that he’s sent all the way back to subdue it?

“Tell the others to go! “There are a lot of knights playing around, right?”

Then, Logan cautioned Seongjin with a puzzled expression.

“Lee Seong-jin. The prince must not say such things in front of others. The knights of the empire are all carrying out their assigned duties with sincerity. “Don’t insult their hard work.”

“what? Is it time for you to think about the other knights’ positions?”

“Not only that, but the empire’s position is also at stake. Think carefully. We must also take into account the fact that a large maritime power as large as the Cyprus Union would ask the empire to subdue the demonic beasts.”

As if comforting an upset Seongjin, Logan spoke calmly.

“They don’t want half-hearted help now. “No matter what the actual strength is, we hope that the most famous punitive force on the continent will come.”

“The reputation of the punitive force is more important?”

“okay. Only then can the side that asked for help save face, and the empire can easily maintain its political advantage over them. The reputation of the Lilium Detachment in other countries is no different from the reputation of the empire itself. and… … .”

After hesitating for a moment, Logan smiled a faint but somewhat sad smile.

“It is also important to me that many of the Ortona refugees came to Cyprus. They work at the lowest level of the fishing industry and make a difficult living from day to day. So, subduing sea monsters and stabilizing the fishing industry is ultimately for their own good.”

“… … .”

Seongjin was completely speechless. It’s not because I understood Logan’s explanation. This was because it was even more absurd than before.

‘No, what are you? Why on earth are you carrying the reputation of the empire and the fallen people all by yourself?’

Is that a lot of weight for one person? It’s so valuable that a talented guy like you is completely buried without even being able to live his life!

At least you got a new life! Don’t you plan on living a life of your own security, relying on your father’s prestige, enjoying your status as a prince?

Seongjin could not understand Logan at all. Only the irritated feelings welling up inside me were expressed in unfiltered criticism towards him.

“… “It’s foolish.”

“huh?”

“You, man! “You’re so foolish!”

“… … .”

Then Logan blinked and looked at Seongjin. For some reason, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu from Seongjin’s words.

But the thought didn’t last long.

-It means that you are needlessly foolish.

A long time ago, a boy criticized me for being foolish in a sharp voice. Isn’t the boy with the same gray eyes as back then right in front of me right now?

“haha.”

Logan smiled with a somewhat relieved expression.

“I guess that was true. I’ve heard something like that from someone before. “Seeing as the evaluation is still the same, it seems that people do not change easily.”

Of course, it goes without saying that Seongjin’s stomach was even more upset by that carefree response.

Don’t laugh, you bastard!

“Lord Sharon!”

At Seongjin’s sudden name, the exorcist, who had been struggling with documents with his head down, looked up. As always, he looks haggard with dark circles around his eyes.

“Yes, sir?”

“You will be free for a while after Giacomo Milo’s trial, right?”

“yes. Probably yes. Of course, unless you tell me to do something else… … .”

“good. “Then I will give you a new mission.”

Seongjin nodded and spoke firmly.

“I order you to investigate the Cypriot maritime magicians. Follow the Lilium detachment. Go and investigate everything you can about the demonic beasts that appear at sea!”

“… yes?”

Investigating magical beasts?

The exorcist blinked in confusion at Seongjin’s unexpected instructions.

“excuse me. Lowering… … .”

At that time, the red-haired Inquisitor, who was healing his own feet with divine power in the corner, raised his hand.

“With all due respect, the Monster Task Force is a department with a clearly defined field of responsibility. “It’s about [monsters] in general, and not about demon beasts, right?”

“so?”

“Of course, we have no hesitation in following your orders, but cooperation with other knights is a slightly different matter. “If we do not properly specify the tasks we are responsible for in seawater subjugation and also clarify our cooperative relationship with the subjugation force, big problems will arise in the future.”

It was definitely a valid point.

The same goes for the trial of Giacomo Milo. Now, how displeased is the Heresy Tribunal that the Monster Task Force has secretly intervened in the devil contract case?

“What nonsense? Sir Valery. What do you think of me? “Do you think I am someone who manipulates departments under the executive branch for personal purposes?”

… Then isn’t it?

Sir Valerie, who could not bear to ask that question, made a shocked expression. But Seongjin was confident.

“The investigation of sea monsters is an extension of the work of the monster task force. “Isn’t it natural?”

“… yes?”

“Now, think about it carefully. Sir Valery. How can you be sure whether the sea monsters that have appeared so far are really monsters, or monsters that have not yet been properly understood?”

“yes? Lowering. But a demonic beast is a demonic beast. Sea monsters have been around since ancient times… … .”

“It has been known as a demonic beast for a long time, so it must be a demonic beast. That is a very narrow view. The same goes for the Glacher Troll, for example. Although it has been classified as a demonic beast for a long time, can we still say without a doubt that it is a simple demonic beast? “First of all, they don’t have any magical energy at all?”

“… uh?”

After listening to it, it seems like that?

Seongjin spoke in a cold tone to the Inquisitor, who had lost confidence.

“Lord Valerie. It hasn’t been long since reading the Other World’s Apocalypse was allowed. “It is only now that the Holy Assembly has acknowledged the limitations of interpreting the scriptures and given the name [monmons] to the evil things that deviate from the standards of demon beasts.”

“… … .”

“Then what is the ultimate mission of the monster task force? Do you still think that we are simply a department that handles monster-related incidents?”

Before I knew it, not only Sir Valerie, but also Logan and Sharon, and even Councilman Jibril were listening to Seongjin’s words with an overwhelmed expression.

“No, absolutely not. We are like pioneers setting foot on a horizon where no one has walked before. So, isn’t the true mission of our department to clarify the ambiguous boundary between demons and monsters, and to present that standard to others and move forward?”

At that time, I heard a voice like a sigh in my head. He was a devil bastard who had become less talkative recently.

[This is my first time seeing a crazy person put this much effort into nonsense… … .]

shut up!

Seongjin was pricked on the inside, but did not show it on the outside and added to Sir Valerie.

“how is it? Would you like to follow Sir Sharon? Sir Valerie, you are the one who has the best understanding of the [Apocalypse Now]. “Wouldn’t you be the best at comparing and analyzing monsters and beasts?”

“uh… … .”

The Inquisitor made a curious expression.

“… … ?”

While everyone was quiet, Seongjin looked triumphantly at Logan, who still hadn’t figured out the situation.

Come on, Logan. So, this time, you should meet Sir Sharon and his father.

Every time you overwork yourself or do something foolish, your father will probably be happy to give you a hard beating.

fantasy,