I Put all my Stats into Charm - Chapter 81

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I Put All My Stats Into Charm Episode 081

From outside, the murmuring voices of knights could be heard.

“Lord Ciprian has awakened!”

At the news that Lowell had awakened, Jerome and I looked at each other and immediately moved to Lowell’s tent.

Upon entering the tent, we saw Lowell raising his upper body from his sleeping bag.

‘Why is his face so pale?’

I hurriedly ran over to support him.

“Master, are you alright?”

“Lady.”

Lowell gave a faint smile.

“I’m fine. I just fainted briefly from using up all my mana.”

Even so, could someone become this haggard in such a short time?

Seeing Lowell’s weakened state made me feel sorry for him.

“I slept well, so I’ll recover quickly. So don’t worry too much.”

Right. This gentle Lowell couldn’t possibly do something like monster transformation experiments.

“That’s a relief. Won’t have to arrange a funeral.”

Just then, Calliton entered the tent.

He checked Lowell’s condition and continued speaking.

“I don’t want to do this to a patient who just regained consciousness, but…”

He slightly lifted his chin and asked in a low, sunken voice.

“Care to explain about the journal?”

“I was just about to tell you about that.”

Lowell opened his mouth with a faint smile.

“In the past, the Temple conducted a search and seizure of my family’s estate. It’s one of the materials that went missing then.”

‘About ten years ago, the Temple searched and seized the Ciprian estate. They said there was suspicion of black magic use again.’

‘The Ciprian estate was clean. But he was treated like a criminal out of nowhere, and materials were lost during the search, so Ciprian was furious.’

Theodor’s words from my memory matched Lowell’s explanation exactly.

“Since merely possessing such materials is illegal, I couldn’t report it missing.”

Lowell continued his explanation in a calm voice.

“As you can see from the recorded dates, the journal is material I created during my time as a priest. Your Highness knows well why I would create such materials.”

Lowell didn’t directly mention the past.

Perhaps because of that, my mind became cluttered with the stories about Lowell that Theodor had told me. That was all I knew, after all.

“What’s important here is that there’s someone else we should be suspicious of.”

At Lowell’s words, one of Calliton’s eyebrows rose.

“If an item that disappeared when the Temple raided was found at a crime scene… who do you think is the culprit who took and used that item?”

As Calliton narrowed his eyes, his already sharp gaze became even more piercing.

“So the Temple is the culprit?”

“There’s no proof. However, there’s no reason to exclude that possibility either.”

Lowell continued in a calm but clear voice.

“We need to investigate the Temple. Then we’ll be able to find important clues.”

“Hmm…”

Calliton stroked his chin.

“I’ll take it into consideration. But future measures will be taken according to the resolution of the state council.”

“I’m prepared for that.”

Lowell smiled faintly.

Calliton now turned his gaze to Jerome.

“It’s the Duke’s turn to answer. What did you mean by saying you’ve been to the cave before?”

“About ten years ago. Do you remember the Duke’s family kidnapping incident?”

I held my breath and listened to their conversation.

“I remember. It was when the Duke was kidnapped. The entire Empire was in an uproar when the Duke’s heir disappeared.”

“The cave is the place where I stayed when I was kidnapped. Much time has passed, but I remember it clearly.”

I hesitated.

I had guessed when Jerome said he’d been to the place before, but that laboratory was indeed where Jerome had been kidnapped.

Calliton narrowed his eyes.

“What did you experience when you were kidnapped?”

“I was experimented on. I couldn’t know the details of what kind of experiment it was, but I remember magic circles, mana stones, and monsters being used in the experiments.”

Calliton’s gaze darkened.

“According to records, the Duke suffered from memory loss. But the current Duke remembers everything from that day. Why is your testimony now different from what you said then?”

“My father judged that if I revealed what I experienced to the outside world, unknown forces might target me again, so it would be safer to pretend not to know. Also…”

Jerome looked at Calliton and continued.

“This may be presumptuous, but we couldn’t trust the Imperial Palace.”

The air seemed to freeze for a moment. Soon Calliton let out a low sigh and ran his hand through his hair.

“…I don’t blame the Duke. Considering the Imperial Palace’s atmosphere back then, you had no choice.”

What was the Imperial Palace’s atmosphere like back then?

Looking around, everyone’s expressions were serious.

Everyone knows except me.

I feel left out.

“But now the next owner of the Imperial Palace is me. I’m also the one who will straighten out the Empire’s chaos.”

A flame-like determination solidly gathered in Calliton’s red eyes.

“So I hope the Duke will cooperate with me this time.”

“I will.”

As Jerome nodded politely, Calliton’s gaze became even more serious.

“They conducted monster transformation experiments on Imperial citizens. If they experimented on the Duke’s body, there should be traces left.”

His gaze sharply swept over Jerome’s body.

“Did any changes occur in the Duke’s body as well?”

“…”

Come to think of it, if he was experimented on, there should be changes in his body.

Unlike the other test subjects, Jerome showed no particular abnormalities.

He was silent for a moment before parting his lips.

“My body also has the same markings as the troll.”

Calliton narrowed his eyes.

“You pretended not to know so well at the banquet. You didn’t trust me then either.”

“I apologize.”

Jerome didn’t particularly deny it.

“From now on, you must answer my questions honestly, Duke. This isn’t a request but an order.”

Calliton looked at Jerome with an unwavering gaze.

It was a look that would not allow any evasion.

“Has the Duke’s body ever transformed into a monster?”

After a silence that was neither short nor long.

Jerome opened his mouth.

“No.”

Calliton’s sharp gaze swept over Jerome’s face.

Though he couldn’t be said to have cleared his suspicions, his eyes suggested he wouldn’t ask more in this setting.

“I understand the Duke’s position. But you’ll need to actively cooperate with the investigation. We might find clues from the Duke’s body, and changes might occur later.”

“Understood.”

“The survivors and monsters will be taken to the Imperial Palace for management. Any objections?”

“No objections, but I hope you’ll prioritize their safety above all else.”

“Of course safety is the top priority. They are my people, after all.”

“There’s one more thing I’d like to request.”

“What is it?”

“There was a girl I met when I was kidnapped. Her name is Karin, and she would be in her early twenties by now.”

Jerome continued speaking while keeping his gaze fixed on Calliton.

“If you happen to find that child, please be sure to let me know as well.”

Calliton answered with a serious expression.

“Anyone who is a citizen of the Empire deserves protection. As far as my reach extends, I promise to put all my effort into the search.”

He continued in a low, firm voice.

“When we return to the Imperial Palace this time, I’ll convene a state council meeting. Duke, make sure you attend as well. We’ll continue discussing what happened then at the Imperial Palace.”

In the increasingly solemn atmosphere.

I fell into thought.

‘So the name of the person Jerome was desperately searching for was Karin.’

If she’s in her early twenties, she’d be around my age.

I had predicted it, but she was indeed a woman.

‘That’s a pretty name.’

She was the person who helped Jerome escape, he had said.

I thought she must be someone special and irreplaceable to Jerome.

That was only natural, but. My mouth felt a little bitter.

Calliton brought up the next matter.

“About the guy who caused a ruckus in the cave.”

The guy who caused a ruckus—he means Hakin, right?

Come to think of it, I had forgotten about him while worrying about this and that.

“We’re going to isolate that guy for the time being. The annihilation of the dark mages was probably his doing too.”

Even from my perspective, Hakin wasn’t in his right mind.

Rather than a person, he was closer to a wild beast.

The mage who died with his head crushed was definitely Hakin’s handiwork.

Hakin didn’t even have a weapon.

That meant he had beaten a person to a pulp with his bare hands.

“He’s too dangerous to keep with the other survivors.”

Suddenly, I recalled the moment I faced Hakin in the cave.

Hakin had stopped attacking as soon as he saw me.

‘As if he recognized me.’

According to the original story, Hakin and I had never met before.

Why did Hakin show such a reaction? Is there some connection between him and me?

Could the monster transformation experiments have something to do with me?

An unresolved uneasiness settled in my heart.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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