~Unit 51 Henry Street, Gale's Herbal Shop~
As Odis had anticipated, Max arrived early in the morning to demand an explanation, "Just a few days ago, I warned you to keep a low profile, and yet last night, you went all the way to King's Avenue to set fires..."
Afraid his voice might carry, Max glanced out the window into the yard. Confirming nobody was outside, he lowered his voice, "Do you have any idea how close that place is to the Sodela Palace? It's just a few kilometers away! And you killed a man in front of so many people!" He sighed, then continued, "Captain Ikanser is furious about this, and Archbishop Horamick Haydn is deeply disappointed..."
Seated in his chair, Odis first filled his pipe with tobacco, then pulled two large packs of cigarettes from a drawer, "Here, Wild Horse brand, your favorite. These two packs should last you a month."
"Don't change the subject!" Max's reprimanding momentum was broken. Eventually, he sighed and said, "You have to report these things in advance."
"If I did report it, would you have let me go through with it?" Odis looked at Max and said, "When the 3N Party was harming innocent people in Backlund and handling those dirty affairs for the nobles, why didn't I see you getting this angry?"
Max sat across from Odis with a helpless shrug, "Actually, everyone secretly supports what you did last night, but as you know, that kind of talk can't come from official Beyonders."
"Good, then you can save that kind of lecture for when outsiders are present," Odis said, "Right now, it's just the two of us. No need to get so worked up."
Max chuckled, "You must have thought the Machinery Hivemind would cover for you, right? That's why you were so bold, isn't it?" Before Odis could answer, Max added seriously, "From now on, you must report these things. If Archbishop Horamick holds a grudge against you, your situation could change. And besides, this kind of thing is too dangerous! You're only a Sequence 8!"
"I know," Odis acknowledged, understanding Max's concern for his safety, so he replied earnestly, "I'm not some 'champion of justice'. This kind of public service is only something I do occasionally."
Max laughed, "Public service... That's a pretty fitting description." He reached out and took the two large packs of cigarettes Odis had bought for him, "I won't take these for nothing." As he spoke, he took a thin file folder from his bag, "To avoid drawing attention, I could only gather these basic details."
Odis opened the file and glanced at it, it contained information on the MI9 agent he had previously asked Max to investigate.
During his earlier negotiation with Danesi, Odis had noticed one of Danesi's subordinates eyeing him with intense anger and hatred. Although he didn't recognize the man, such situations demanded uncovering the individual's background for peace of mind.
Odis saw that the MI9 agent's name was Cleymond Donnat, a son of Count Donnat... or more precisely, the Count's illegitimate child.
Many noble bastards served in MI9 and the East Balam military, and many 'second sons' held officer positions within these branches. Comparatively speaking, these departments were more demanding and dangerous. Nobles rarely placed their heirs in such posts for work or training, they preferred to assign them to the Ministry of Defense.
Audrey's brother, Alfred, was a prime example. By tradition, the future Earl Hall title would be inherited by the eldest son, Hibbert. So, to avoid suspicion and show he had no designs on the title or the family fortune, Alfred went to serve in the Southern Continent.
Alfred's approach had garnered support from his father and older brother. Leveraging Earl Hall's influence, he had already developed a promising career in the East Balam military, the largest colonial army of the Loen Kingdom.
The term 'second son' did not strictly refer to a noble's second-born, but rather to sons without legitimate inheritance rights. Some of the more exceptionally talented bastards among the nobility could even receive privileges similar to Alfred's.
Cleymond fell into this category. His father had arranged for him to work in MI9, where he had risen to become one of the team captains in the Operations Division, leading three operational squads.
After reviewing the intelligence provided by Max, Odis remarked, "I've never offended this man or his father."
Having already torn open the cigarettes, Max lit one and said, "He has a younger brother from the same parents."
Odis glanced at the file. Cleymond's brother was named Belize Donnat. "And I've never offended him either," he added.
"True, you didn't offended his brother," Max chuckled, "But you killed him!"
Odis thought for a moment before coming to a realization, "Was there a Beyonder named Belize among the ones protecting Capim?"
Recalling the encounter, he deduced that was the only time he could have killed Cleymond's brother.
Max took a drag of his cigarette, nodded, and then said, "I asked around about Belize's situation. With Cleymond's help, he once worked as a field agent for MI9. Two years ago, he was dismissed due to a work-related mishap. Later, he was hired as a bodyguard by Capim. Notably, no one knows the specifics of his mistake. It's said Cleymond didn't plead for him, and the incident didn't affect Cleymond's career."
Odis closed the file, lit his pipe, and took a puff before smiling, "If I dig in this direction, I'm sure to find quite a lot. However, Archbishop Horamick's instruction is not to investigate proactively. So when the opportunity arises, I'll have to let Cleymond approach me voluntarily and see if I can get more information."
As an operations team captain with three squads under his command, Cleymond was likely a Sequence 6, so Odis believed he should at least ascend to Sequence 7 before engaging further.
And honestly, he wasn't too keen on further investigation. With his meta knowledge, he knew this case was related to the royal family's ongoing operations...
Odis suddenly realized he could exploit Cleymond to cause conflict with the royal family, which would allow him to seek refuge within the Church of Steam and Machinery, then use that as a pretext to leave Backlund.
However, this plan carried significant risks. If pushed too far, the royal family might resort to eliminating him. And they wouldn't hesitate to kill someone even if they were with the Church.
Moreover, if mishandled, the Church of Steam and Machinery might relocate him to their headquarters in the Republic of Intis, complicating matters further.
'This matter requires meticulous planning and the right timing for execution...' Odis thought.
Seeing him fall silent, Max assumed he was figuring out how to use Cleymond to get more leads.
"This matter is dangerous. Don't rush it," he cautioned.
"I know," Odis replied, taking a puff from his pipe and offering a faint smile.
...
After seeing Max off, Odis retrieved the manuscript of 'Outline of Combat' from the Knowledge Moor. After a quick reread, he began contemplating what channels to use for publication.
Since he had completed it, he was determined to see it published. And because it included the summary of his battles with Chipman, the author's name had to be Lelouch.
That was the hardest part. The Mandated Punishers were currently searching everywhere for Lelouch. Publishing a book under that name would be tantamount to walking right into a trap.
After thinking for a long time, Odis decided to wait for the afternoon Tarot Club gathering and ask a professional, Miss Magician...
…
~North Borough, Government Avenue~
Xio Derecha had received a new commission to investigate on behalf of an official's wife where her husband had hidden his mistress...
On Monday morning, Xio took a public carriage to Government Avenue to begin her day's surveillance.
On the carriage, she overheard news which had been published in the Daily Observer being discussed
A middle-aged man holding the newspaper remarked, "These nobles are becoming increasingly outrageous."
The man beside him agreed, "Right, it's unbelievable that there's always been a fighting arena like this in Backlund."
Those who had read the paper began to chatter:
"That place must harbor secrets the nobles would least want exposed. What's been reported is likely just the tip of the iceberg."
"Thank that man named Lelouch for revealing the truth to us."
"My neighbor's beautiful daughter disappeared last year. I'm certain those despicable nobles were behind it."
"Why is it only the Daily Observer publishing such reports?"
"Why else? Other newspapers have undoubtedly been bribed by that noble. Those damn cowards."
"..."
Some hadn't read the paper yet and asked for details. Xio gathered a general idea of what had happened.
The night before, a person named Lelouch had delivered evidence of the crimes of Bishop, son of Viscount Verde, to all the major newspapers and Backlund's Police Department. However, only the Daily Observer published the evidence.
Initially, Xio didn't think much of it, as such reports seldom impacted nobles. It was only after starting her work that she sensed the day's unusual atmosphere.
Numerous government departments were located along Government Avenue. Actually, the avenue's original name was unknown; it had become colloquially known as such.
Xio noticed that the postmen seemed exceptionally busy today, delivering large sacks of mail to municipal offices, police departments, and the like roughly every hour.
Though she didn't actively inquire, snippets of conversation between the postmen and government staff revealed that some letters questioned the municipal office about the existence of fighting arenas in Backlund. Others demanded to know why the police hadn't investigated Bishop earlier, and some warned them not to mistreat their hero, Lelouch, should they successfully arrest him.
The morning brought mainly telegrams demanding answers, while the afternoon saw expedited letters. By tomorrow, it was expected that even more regular mail would flood in.
It was said that the Parliamentary building had also received many letters suggesting further restrictions on the power of nobility and calls for the establishment of investigative committees to scrutinize Viscount Verde, among other things.
The major newspapers had also received numerous letters.
Besides praise for truthful reporting, the Daily Observer also got many subscription orders. In contrast, other newspapers faced torrents of criticism and cancellation notices.
All of this surprised Xio to some extent. The article seemed to have awakened something, causing citizens to spontaneously condemn that noble and the government agencies.
Xio reflected with emotion: 'Backlund has changed. The people here have changed! First came the Hero Bandit, Mr. Leader, and heroes like Byron who dared to punish Capim. Now, a hero has emerged who dares to expose the scandals of the nobility!'