I Put all my Stats into Charm - Chapter 82

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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 082

“The survivors have awakened!”

Upon hearing the news that the survivors had awakened, we immediately moved to their tent.

Their expressions were still dazed, but their eyes were clearer than when we first rescued them. Some of them were even aware of their surroundings.

Jerome approached the elderly man who was the first among the survivors to regain consciousness.

“What is your name and age?”

The old man answered haltingly, as if fumbling through hazy memories.

“Eldran… I’m 80 years old this year.”

“Are you a resident of Bramshut Village?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

When Eldran anxiously looked around, Jerome patted his shoulder reassuringly.

“The Empire will take responsibility for the rest, so you don’t need to worry. How is your body?”

Eldran slowly nodded his head.

“I think I’m fine for now.”

“If you notice even the slightest abnormal symptoms, please tell us immediately.”

When Eldran nodded, Jerome asked a question.

“By any chance, have you seen a woman? She’s in her early twenties, her name is Karin, and she has a spiral tattoo on the back of her neck.”

“I haven’t seen her. The people here are all the survivors. Everyone who succeeded in the experiments became monsters.”

Jerome’s eyes wavered.

“…Were there also people who didn’t succeed in the experiments?”

“There were.”

Eldran spoke with a terror-stricken expression.

“Those people were all disposed of. The bodies were dragged outside, so I don’t know what happened to them after that.”

Jerome’s arm that had been resting on Eldran’s shoulder dropped limply.

Jerome’s breathing trembled slightly.

Though there wasn’t much change in his expression, his complexion turned pale as if all the blood had drained from his face in an instant.

As if the last hope he had been clinging to for so long had been severed in one blow.

Jerome froze in place, unable to say anything.

The investigation team members prepared to return while organizing the base camp.

Calliton gave orders to the investigation team members.

“Put the survivors in the carriage. Load the Empire citizens who became monsters into cages in the cargo compartment.”

His gaze fell on the sleeping Hakin.

“Load that bastard in the cargo compartment too.”

Despite being a survivor, Hakin was transported locked in a cage with his hands and feet bound by restraining spheres.

‘Well, Hakin might be more dangerous than the monsters.’

Hakin was someone who had given Jerome, Calliton, and Lowell all three a hard time.

Without doing this much, there was no telling what kind of rampage he might go on when he woke up.

I turned my gaze toward Jerome.

After hearing the survivor’s testimony.

Jerome’s already minimal speech decreased exponentially.

If what the old man named Eldran said was true, then the person named Karin had either succeeded in the experiments and became a monster, or failed and was disposed of.

Either way, she wasn’t alive and well.

‘She would have been trapped for over ten years. It’s too long a time for nothing to have happened.’

But still…

‘He searched for her so desperately.’

I couldn’t even fathom what his sense of loss must be like.

Clumsy consolation might actually be poison. In a situation like this, I had no idea what words could offer comfort.

I sighed and got into the carriage.

‘Who am I to worry about others? I should worry about my own future.’

Calliton said he would hold a state council meeting to discuss this matter once we returned to the Imperial Palace.

After returning to the Imperial Palace, I also needed to begin investigating information in earnest for Calliton’s route.

I couldn’t afford to pay attention to other things.

Right now, I needed to focus on finding a way to return home.

As soon as the investigation team arrived at the Imperial Palace, a closed state council meeting was convened.

The agenda of the meeting concerned the northern investigation.

It included an investigation report on monster transformation experiments conducted on Empire citizens and Lowell Chiffrion’s research journal discovered at the scene.

Only a small number of royals and nobles, excluding the Temple, filled the seats.

The woman sitting at the head of the table spoke.

“Black magic is forbidden magic that shakes the foundation of the Empire.”

With neatly braided brown hair and red eyes, her angular eye corners and smoothly sloping nose bridge created an impression that exuded both elegance and sharpness simultaneously.

She was Serafin Grail Hart, the Empress of the Belkadia Empire.

“If such magic was researched by an Imperial mage, it would be difficult to view it as mere academic curiosity.”

Duke Elbalon Adryel, whose hair was streaked with gray, also stepped forward.

“Your Majesty. Haven’t I warned you several times? Lowell Chiffrion is a sinister individual who was even excommunicated from the Temple due to his past black magic activities.”

House of Adryel was the Empress’s family home, a house that had moved the Empire’s political circles for decades.

“The very fact that such a person has established himself in the Imperial Palace as His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince’s closest aide is problematic. Let’s bring him down before things get worse.”

Other nobles who agreed with Duke Elbalon’s words also nodded their heads.

Calliton clicked his tongue inwardly at their obvious attitude of wanting to deal with Lowell Chiffrion using this opportunity.

Since the Emperor collapsed due to illness, the noble families had been continuously testing the waters to expand their own family’s influence.

However, the willful Crown Prince Calliton Grailhart was originally a difficult opponent to handle.

But with the Empire’s most powerful mage by the Crown Prince’s side.

Lowell’s existence was tantamount to giving wings to Calliton’s power.

And this incident was finally an opportunity to push back the Crown Prince’s power by bringing down Lowell.

Duke Adryel secretly exchanged glances with the nobles.

Then, Calliton spoke.

“The charges against Lowell Chiffrion are merely at the presumption stage. Circumstantial evidence cannot serve as grounds for judgment.”

His low, firm voice settled the restless atmosphere in the meeting room.

Silence flowed through the meeting room.

While the nobles only exchanged glances with each other, Calliton continued speaking.

“Fourteen years ago. The Temple conducted an unauthorized search of the Chiffrion family estate. Some of his materials from his priest days were lost at that time.”

He continued in a low voice.

“The journal found in the cave is stolen goods that were lost at that time.”

The meeting hall stirred slightly.

An atmosphere of silently reading each other’s expressions spread, and the faces of several nobles hardened slightly.

Though no one spoke, it was clear that everyone was thinking the same thing.

One of the Empress’s eyebrows slowly rose.

“Setting everything else aside, the very fact that Chiffrion authored black magic records is unpleasant.”

Duke Elbalon immediately chimed in.

“He is someone who doesn’t even deserve to set foot in the Imperial Palace. For the dignity of the Imperial family, he should be dealt with immediately.”

Calliton let out a snicker.

“It’s true that Lowell Chiffrion was excommunicated from the Temple for using black magic during his priest days. However.”

His gaze was unwavering, and his voice was calm.

“Chiffrion used magic to save people. The purpose and nature are different from this experiment that deliberately transformed hundreds of people’s bodies.”

In the quieted meeting hall.

He continued speaking.

“It’s true that he violated taboos, but that sin has already been paid for through excommunication.”

Calliton slowly looked around at the assembly.

“Furthermore, after receiving His Majesty’s command that the same incident must not be repeated, he became a member of the Imperial Palace according to His Majesty’s will.”

He spoke in a heavy voice.

“To make an issue of this matter would be no different from challenging the decision of His Majesty the Emperor, who lies bedridden.”

Calliton clasped his hands together and placed them on the table.

“Now let us begin our discussion again.”

Then he smiled brightly.

“What should we do about Lowell Chiffrion?”

It wasn’t that there were no opposing opinions.

But whenever the nobles raised objections, Calliton countered without giving them the slightest opening.

As long as he was present, the matter concerning Lowell Chiffrion was no longer an issue.

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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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