I’m Hunting My Enemy - Chapter 29

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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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29. Ally (5)

 

Ryuie stood up.

 

With a dignified posture different from before, she puffed out her chest and looked down, radiating authority.

 

“I command in the name of the Duke of Greatone. From now on, we shall designate the swamp as a traitor and begin the work of securing evidence.”

 

“Since when could treason charges be applied to something that isn’t human?”

 

“Review it starting today. You know what happens if you lose, right?”

 

Seeing her dump the legal matters on Bendam, she really intended to handle this as ducal business.

 

What this meant was…

 

“Are you insane? You’re planning to summon the entire Empire here?!”

 

“Ha!”

 

Ryuie snorted triumphantly at Glem’s shock.

 

A duke’s order had to be immediately reported to the capital and relevant parties dispatched to the location for cross-verification.

 

Simply put, it meant rumors would spread throughout the capital.

 

Moreover, this ducal order involved the famous Yeongae picking a fight with a swamp.

 

Not only idle nobles but even serious nobles would all flock here!

 

Originally, people would go watch fights and fires even if their own house was burning, and now treason charges?

 

Just raising suspicions would make newspapers sell like hotcakes that day, and nobles weren’t the type to just listen to such sensational events from afar.

 

They would obviously come rushing excitedly to watch someone get humiliated.

 

‘I knew she liked dragging people around from the start, but!’

 

To turn it into something like this!

 

Ryuie had put these quiet, secretive villages entirely on the chopping block!

 

Glem was at his wit’s end.

 

“Don’t you know to keep dangerous things hidden? How can you draw even more people here!”

 

“You said it was a trap, right? If that’s really true, it would be a waste for only me to fall into a trap set for me! The entire Empire should focus on this place!”

 

Ryuie argued even more triumphantly.

 

Glem felt like the blood rushing to his head would burst all the vessels in his neck.

 

Obviously, the nobles flocking here would be a huge hindrance to what he was trying to do.

 

And there would be incredibly many people just coming to play and check if Yeongae had finally gone mad.

 

‘How on earth does she plan to handle all of that.’

 

His vision grew dim.

 

Ryuie laughed even more triumphantly.

 

“Let’s see just how amazing that swamp is. Enough to covet the Empire?”

 

“But first, you’ll need to stop by the temple.”

 

“?!”

 

Before they knew it, a priest had approached their group.

 

The knights, who had failed to notice his presence while focused on Ryuie’s plan, all drew their swords in unison.

 

But the priest in the brown robe showed no fear as he pushed through the people.

 

At his rather dramatic entrance, Ryuie also looked in his direction.

 

It was a familiar face, which was somewhat unexpected.

 

Ryuie, who had been coldly sneering arrogantly, hesitated slightly.

 

“What? It’s Benito?”

 

“I came to catch an escaped prisoner.”

 

Benito pointed at Glem and smiled brightly.

 

His face was cheerful, showing considerable inability to read the atmosphere.

 

* * *

 

The Ohen Priest did not reprimand Ryuie for returning with the escaped prisoner.

 

That was because a more troubling situation was occurring.

 

“The knights who had pushed down the forest are now bringing villagers to start building structures. What on earth is going on?”

 

Glem, who was too embarrassing to say had been captured, was helplessly keeping his position.

 

This was because Benito had come in with them, saying he needed to report to Ohen Priest as a matter of procedure.

 

Of course, Ohen paid no attention to either of them.

 

While Benito was returning with Glem and Ryuie, things were being handled swiftly with the help of mages.

 

“People will be flocking here soon, and hastily built accommodations have their limits. Don’t worry about the cost. The Ducal House will cover it.”

 

“I’m asking about the purpose of the buildings, not their source.”

 

“You received the ducal order, didn’t you?”

 

Ryuie slammed her palm down on the ducal order document on the desk.

 

It was a complaint formally stamped with the Ducal House’s seal and perfectly formatted using elegant calligraphy.

 

It was Bendam’s work, who had frantically wielded his quill pen as soon as Ryuie gave the order.

 

Actually, Yeongae sitting in front of the desk with her eyes wide open was more definitive proof than the ducal order document.

 

Ohen Priest pressed his wrinkled brow firmly.

 

“Does the Duke also know about what you’re doing now?”

 

“I’m the heir of the Ducal House, and from the moment I came of age, I can exercise authority and responsibility as a proxy anytime.”

 

Ryuie was the only daughter of the Ducal House.

 

If she had safely married the Crown Prince, Ryuie’s first child would become the next emperor, and the second child would become the duke.

 

Until then, she would hold both the position of Empress and the ducal title concurrently.

 

Though it was a known fact, having been struck by the wielded power, he seemed to newly realize Ryuie’s status.

 

Ohen Priest quietly fumed.

 

“Even now, messenger birds keep flying to the temple. Even more so because there’s no resident mage. They’re all requests to visit this place, and the priests are about to be buried under feathers.”

 

“I’ll handle it. Why on earth do people think I drag so many people around?”

 

“Please focus on the main point.”

 

Ohen clasped his hands together.

 

“Why are you drawing attention?”

 

“You’re saying the same thing as Glem.”

 

Ryuie made an amused expression.

 

“I thought you’d be on bad terms since you’re keeping one of them locked up.”

 

“…”

 

Glem stubbornly looked away, and Ohen reluctantly explained.

 

“He was caught for stealing the temple’s sacred artifacts. Multiple times.”

 

“Aha~ So that was from here?”

 

Ryuie acted sly as if she had finally figured out the identity of the sacred artifact Glem possessed.

 

“Good. If he was a criminal, that makes things even easier.”

 

Ryuie, who had acted as if she was just learning this fact, casually extended her hand.

 

“I’ll officially take over Glem as an investigation witness. In return, you’ll have to give me his criminal record so far. The Ducal House will review it comprehensively.”

 

“Yeongae.”

 

“What? Surely you didn’t keep him locked up without a trial.”

 

Ryuie smiled knowingly as if she understood everything.

 

Ohen pressed his lips together tightly, then lowered his arms.

 

After a brief moment, he fumbled to open his desk drawer.

 

It was a drawer that opened not with a key but by pressing a special device.

 

Ohen opened the drawer without hesitation and threw an old bundle onto the desk without even looking.

 

It was quite a large amount of parchment.

 

‘Our Glem. You really got caught quite a bit.’

 

“I’ll take a good look.”

 

Ryuie quickly snatched up the parchment.

 

Glem made an even more uncomfortable expression. Nothing good would come from Ryuie seeing that.

 

‘There shouldn’t be any dangerous content. Probably.’

 

He couldn’t be certain since he didn’t know exactly what the priests had written.

 

Glem was more concerned about Ryuie seeing his records than being caught by the temple again.

 

Even though he was now officially handed over to Ryuie.

 

Ohen spoke sternly.

 

“No matter how powerful the ducal house may be, this place is our temple.”

 

“When everything is finished and we leave, I’ll transfer the building’s usage rights to the temple. That should be more than enough compensation.”

 

Ohen shook his head and made his demand.

 

“I have no interest in buildings. Respect that we are the priests of this place. If necessary, restrict people’s movement and allow us to act with the ducal house’s authority to control other nobles as well during emergencies. Without that much, the other nobles will never listen to us.”

 

“Fine.”

 

Ryuie readily nodded her head.

 

The nobles who had flocked here would complain about all sorts of trivial matters anyway, so she was rather grateful that the temple would handle it instead.

 

Ryuie added a condition.

 

“But the proxy authority only applies when there’s no one left in the temple to represent me.”

 

“I accept.”

 

The two confirmed their agreement with a brief oath.

 

Thinking the most important proposal was finished, Ohen Priest finally let out a sigh.

 

“…What do you plan to do by informing the Empire about the swamp?”

 

“First, we’ll identify all the dangerous elements and eliminate them completely.”

 

“We’ll participate as well.”

 

“I thought you were against entering the swamp?”

 

“With things having come this far, it would be ridiculous not to participate.”

 

Ohen said.

 

“Benito. Release Glem.”

 

“Is it over?”

 

Benito casually let go of Glem’s arm that he had been holding.

 

Glem stepped aside with distaste. This priest with his carefree face somehow made him uncomfortable.

 

Ohen continued speaking.

 

“I’ll let you continue using the stolen sacred artifact. But please withdraw your plan to show the people who turned into monsters to the nobles.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Those who want to exploit the already lost prayer might appear. Besides, it’s not good for treatment either.”

 

‘Nice excuse.’

 

With patients already appearing, rumors couldn’t be stopped. Just like how rumors couldn’t be stopped the moment Yosua’s phantom appeared in the swamp.

 

Ryuie smiled and returned the same response.

 

“I’ll ask them directly.”

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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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