Chapter 602: Their Separate Future
Editor: Tseirp
The next morning.
Ryo and Abel visited the Censorate.
As usual, the street-facing gate of the Censorate was open.
Of course, no one stood guard there.
The inner gate was firmly shut, and in front of it stood a drum taller than a person.
Those with petitions struck the drum.
On past visits, the two had never seen anyone around that drum.
But today there were people.
Three men.Each of the three wore Darwei Attire — one red, one blue, one yellow.
Their robes were properly worn, their hair neatly tied, swords hung at their left hips; at a glance, they could pass for officials… yet somehow they gave off a coarse, rough impression.
Those three did not seem intent on striking the drum.
They were only watching with curious eyes.
Neither Ryo nor Abel intended to strike the drum.
Only those with a complaint may beat it, and since they had come to see Secretary Shau, they must not strike it.
So they tried to pass by the drum.
The three noticed them.
Then all three recognized at once.
“Hey — you!”
“Wait up!”
“What are you doing here, you bastard!”
The three barked at Abel.
Abel, however, tilted his head in puzzlement.
Ryo asked his companion.
“Abel, do you know them?”
“No, I don’t.”
Abel shook his head.
The three went into a rage at Abel’s answer.
“Hey, don’t mess with us!”
“We’ll make you pay!”
“You’ll feel my wrath for those eggs!”
Only the last one was oddly specific.
Perhaps that triggered a memory—or perhaps not…
“Ah, the Three Colors, huh.”
Abel nodded several times.
“Three Colors, is it?”
At Abel’s phrase ‘Three Colors’, Ryo recalled.
Right after they’d arrived in the Imperial Capital, the three had bumped into, or rather, nearly collided with them— specifically, Abel.
They had worn red, blue, and yellow Darwei Attire then as well, so Abel had nicknamed them ‘Three Colors’.
At that time, Abel had been focused on obtaining a Flight Ring above all else, so a duel with the three had been put off.
By a sequence of coincidences, a one-versus-three duel ended up taking place at Holy Emperor Square… and Abel won easily.
It should have been over.
“It’s over between us. See ya.”
For Abel, it was finished.
“Wait up!”
The red one shouted, and the inner gate opened a crack. A Censorate official stepped out and said,
“Please wait quietly.”
“Ugh… sorry.”
The three were scolded.
Ryo and Abel quickly stepped forward in front of the official.
“I would like to see Secretary Shau.”
Ryo asked with a smile.
For a moment, the Censorate official didn’t seem to recognize them, but upon seeing their robes, he quickly realized who they were.
“Ah! I will inform him at once; please wait a moment!”
After hesitating for an instant as to whether he should close the gate, he retreated inside with the gate half-shut.
He apparently felt reluctant to slam the gate in front of Duke Rondo.
“It seems he’s here. Good, good.”
When Ryo told Abel that, a hostile voice called out.
“Hey, don’t ignore us!”
“We’ll settle this right here!”
“Eggs are expensive, you know!”
The three had not given up.
Abel let out an exaggerated sigh for show.
“Abel— you’re definitely doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”
Ryo’s mutter was too soft for anyone else to hear.
“Hey, Three Colors…”
“I’m Gaji!”
“I’m Guza!”
“I’m Gobo!”
The three answered Abel’s question with their names.
But Abel only tilted his head.
Ryo beside him also tilted his head.
“Sorry, I don’t really know which is which.”
“What a coincidence—I don’t know either.”
Perhaps their names were simply too similar.
Neither Ryo nor Abel could quite match faces to names.
On closer look, however… their facial hair differed considerably.
From the left: clean-shaven, a little mustache, half the face bearded.
“Yeah, the amount of beard is different, but… sorry, I still don’t know.”
Abel answered honestly.
“That’s enough!”
The Three Colors shouted in unison.
And then drew their swords.
But at that very moment…
“Enough of this!”
The voice struck them like an invisible whip.
All three dropped their swords.
The voice had come from a vigorous, sprightly old man.
Right behind him stepped out Li Wu, the Inspector, who must have come to visit Shau as well.
“You lot, do you know where this is? This is the Censorate! Drawing blades in the Censorate is unheard of! Li Wu— are these the three under your supervision?”
“Yes, Shau-sama. I am terribly sorry.”
Li Wu bowed his head repeatedly under Shau’s furious words.
The Three Colors’ reactions were slow.
They dropped their swords when shouted at, but they seemed unable to grasp the situation.
By the way, Abel had not drawn a sword; he shrugged and, with Ryo, bowed to the arriving Shau.
“Duke Rondo… I heard you had come, so I came out—was there some trouble with Li Wu’s… disciples?”
“No, Shau-san. My guard was previously caught up in a scuffle with these three. It should have been settled, but meeting them again here must have brought back bad memories for them.”
Ryo answered Shau’s question with a smile.
It wasn’t a lie.
In fact, it wasn’t only that it should have been over; Ryo had even forgotten the encounter himself…
“So you’re saying these three drew their swords first…”
“Hey, wait a minute!”
The red one blurted out in objection to Shau’s remark.
But…
“Stand down, Gaji!”
This time, Li Wu admonished the red one. He must be Gaji.
Shau turned to Li Wu.
“Li Wu, you took them in to straighten their characters, did you not?”
“Yes—it’s an embarrassing matter, but…”
Li Wu sighed.
“However… they drew blades in the Censorate. Even I don’t recall such a precedent… It will likely mean amputation of the arms.”
“Eh…?”
Shau declared without expression, and the Three Colors were dumbfounded.
Li Wu also stared wide-eyed in silence.
“If I recall, these three’s parents are… the First-Rank Marquis Hau Gin, who leads the patrol troops?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“Understood. I will obtain permission from His Majesty via official channels for the amputation.”
Shau said that plainly, emotionless.
The Three Colors began to tremble.
Amputation of the arms—as the name implies.
Since it is a punishment, limb regeneration would not be permitted; they would live without arms for the rest of their lives.
An unimaginably severe sentence.
“However… if they work diligently for one year at the Censorate, I might petition His Majesty for a reduction in the sentence.”
“!”
Secretary Shau spoke with no expression.
The Three Colors’ faces shot up and they began to nod repeatedly.
“Work at the Censorate’s menial tasks will be harsh. If you give up halfway, the punishment is doubled. That is, both arms will be cut off. Will you still work?”
Shau asked.
By then, about ten Censorate staff had emerged from beyond the gate.
Likely drawn out by Shau’s shout.
“We will work.”
“Please make us work.”
“We’ll work like hatchlings, with all our might.”
Thus Gaji, Guza, and Gobo took on work at the Censorate.
The Three Colors were led inside by their senior Censorate staff.
From today, they would be subjected to rigorous training.
“Shau-sama, I am truly sorry…”
“It’s all right, Li Wu. The Censorate is forever short of hands. In a year, they will be respectable officials you can send anywhere without shame. I shall personally go to explain the situation to Hau Gin-dono. He will be surprised… but it should be no problem.”
Secretary Shau said with a laugh.
Then he faced Ryo and Abel.
“Duke Rondo, it was quite unlucky for you to come at this time.”
“No, it’s nothing serious. Though I wished to confirm something…you mentioned the three would face arm amputation—is that true?”
“Yes. As I said, drawing blades for a duel in the Censorate is unheard of. In light of past cases, that is the likely outcome.”
“Ooh…”
Ryo had thought it might have been a threat, but that did not appear to be the case.
Rather, Shau truly seemed concerned for the three’s future and offset the punishment with Censorate labor.
Something like substituting a year of social service for the sentence.
“By the way, Duke Rondo, did you come today about those four adventurers?”
“Your insight is as keen as ever—I am impressed.”
Secretary Shau said playfully while Ryo smiled.
“No, we have been interrogating the matter of Prince Ryun and Princess Shio Fen’s attack the day before yesterday.”
“Aren’t you busy then?”
“No, no—it’s no problem. We captured them at the scene. They’re resigned, actually— spilling everything in the hope of earning some mercy.”
“But if they attacked a prince and princess, can their sentences really be reduced?”
“In Darwei law, if they provide exceptionally rare information, it might be possible… but at present it seems unlikely.”
An attack on royalty is a capital offense in any nation— the death penalty.
“It can’t be helped… but there is also the aspect of coercion by powerful people…”
“Indeed. However… there is no evidence that any prince was directly involved.”
“Yeah…”
Secretary Shau frowned and Ryo nodded as if confirming what he suspected.
Shau also refrained from specifying ‘which’ prince he meant.
He spoke only in the general term, a prince.
Of course, everyone present knew it was Prince Bin, the Fourth Prince.
At any time in any world, the true mastermind leaves no evidence of direct involvement.
Even if everyone sees it… it becomes the subordinates’ doing.
“They claim the prince never appeared before these adventurers. All orders were relayed by Lin Sui.”
“Even if it’s obvious to everyone…”
“Yes. Without clear evidence… it will be hard to hold the prince accountable.”
“But what about informing His Majesty, the Emperor?”
“Yes—of course we will report all facts to His Majesty. Seeing them, doubt may flicker in His Majesty’s mind about the prince. But even if it reaches that point…”
“Because there is no definitive evidence, His Majesty would not punish the prince.”
Shau and Ryo both sighed deeply.
Even an absolute ruler like the Emperor cannot wield unlimited power, not even against his own children.
That would be different in a private household.
But they were dealing with the massive Darwei imperial family.
Surrounded by many people.
Many lives depended on them.
Families and livelihoods hung in the balance.
‘Probably’ wasn’t enough.
Some would call this a flaw of the law.
Some would say the perpetrators are protected.
They would not be wrong.
Not wrong at all.
But still…
“It cannot be helped.”
“…Yes.”
Shau shook his head slightly; Ryo grimaced and nodded.
“Well, putting that aside…”
“Yes—the four Third-Rank adventurers in Duke Rondo’s garden.”
“Yes. We suspect they were cast aside by the prince.”
“I agree. From the prince who lost some seventy Second-Rank adventurers… four Third-Rank adventurers would be nothing.”
Secretary Shau concurred with Ryo’s thinking.
“So I have a plan…”
At Ryo’s proposed plan, Shau nodded with a sly smile.
Abel, who had been listening, quietly shook his head.
Afterwards, Ryo and Abel returned to Rondo Manor, accompanied by Shau—and ten of his subordinates.
And, for some reason, Inspector Li Wu.
“Why me?”
Li Wu asked, but no one answered.
The party entered the garden. Ten burly Censorate staff semi-encircled the ice sculptures.
Facing them were Shau at center, Ryo and Abel on his right, and Li Wu on the left.
“”
They surrounded the four sculptures.
Ryo was making sure to be cautious.
Then…
“”
The four adventurers were freed from the ice after several days.
They were Third-Rank adventurers.
Unquestionably senior adventurers.
But they had been locked in ice so long their spirits were broken. Freed, they glared at the Censorate men and were mentally strained.
Then—
“You four have been abandoned by Prince Bin.”
Veteran interrogators say the most important line is the very first one.
Shau’s opening—delivered bluntly from on high—directly struck the already battered hearts of the four.
“…”
None of the four spoke.
If one were to title their expression, it would be ‘stunned, dumbstruck’.
A full minute of silence passed.
The first to speak was the central swordsman.
“…Is there evidence?”
His voice was weak.
Rather than a rebuttal, it sounded like a last-ditch resistance.
“No one has come forward until now. That in itself is evidence.”
“No way…”
“You know who I am, yes? I am Shau, who serves as Chief of the Censorate. As such, let me inform you— seventy Second-Rank adventurers belonging to the Imperial Capital were captured in the attack on the prince the day before yesterday.”
“Eh…?”
The adventurers were stunned again.
Not only the central swordsman, but all three were struck dumb.
“Half of them are dead; the rest were caught and interrogated. It goes without saying whose orders they followed. They were hired by the same party that hired you.”
“…”
Prince Bin didn’t even appear before the Second-Rank adventurers.
He certainly had not shown himself before these Third-Rank adventurers either.
But these adventurers were not fools.
They could deduce who their true employer was.
“If even Second-Rank adventurers were discarded, it should be no surprise that Third-Rank adventurers like yourselves were discarded.”
Shau shrugged.
“But even if you were abandoned… if you return to your employer, you can guess what will happen, can’t you?”
Shau asked.
No one nodded, but fear trembled in their eyes.
“You understand, then. Of course, your mouths will be sealed.”
Shau stated it unequivocally.
No one could argue.
They expected to be killed.
“Frankly, you cannot appear in public anymore. You know too much.”
“…”
“That means you cannot continue as adventurers, nor take any job where you’d be known.”
“…”
“Tell me—do you have enough savings to retire quietly?”
Shau’s tone was gentle when he asked.
The four were likely in their late twenties.
They were at the prime of their adventuring years.
Absent extraordinary circumstances, they would likely have advanced to Second-Rank.
Perhaps even First-Rank in time.
Being Third-Rank in your late twenties meant real potential.
So if asked whether they had savings sufficient to retire, the answer was probably no.
That’s the way of people in their twenties.
Shau spoke with full understanding.
“Duke Rondo has graciously said he will not ask for punishment for you. Be grateful. Even though His Grace could, by the Emperor’s leave, dispose of you as he sees fit, he has chosen to pardon you.”
“T-thank you.”
In weak voices, the central swordsman bowed.
The others bowed as well.
Ryo accepted that and inclined his head magnanimously.
“Nevertheless, you cannot appear in public. Or rather, if you value your lives, I advise you not to. If you have savings, you should retire away from the Imperial Capital, or even out of Darwei—that would be best. What say you?”
At Shau’s words, the four exchanged glances.
Then, they shook their heads.
They did not yet have sufficient savings.
“Hm. If you wish, you could assist the Censorate with work.”
“!”
At Shau’s offer, the four lifted their faces in surprise.
“It would be work out of public sight. We’ll change your names on record… furthermore, we will publicly announce that the four captured at Duke Rondo’s mansion were executed. That should largely end inquiries from Prince Bin’s faction… how about it?”
“When would that assignment end?”
“Hm… it will take about five years for things to cool completely. You must work for at least five years. Of course, you will be paid and housing provided. The Censorate gives hazard pay on dangerous missions. Compared to some ministries, you’ll take home more.”
Shau laughed heartily after saying so.
The ten Censorate men surrounding the four also laughed.
The four considered for a time.
They did not consult each other.
Each thought alone—then…
“We want to be employed.”
All four bowed their heads.
Thus, the Censorate acquired four former Third-Rank adventurers—a rather talented addition to its ranks.
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