"What is it? Speak."
"Yes! On my way home yesterday, I ran into Lord Honest's son and had a bit of friction with his bodyguards. Something about it felt… familiar."
"Familiar?"
"Yes. Among the bandits who attacked me before, some of them seemed to use techniques very similar to his."
"…"
The temperature in the room seemed to plummet in an instant. General Budo's presence erupted, heavy and oppressive.
"Lancer, are you certain? You understand that Honest is the Empire's Minister of Finance—the man who controls its economic lifeline. Falsely accusing a senior minister of the Empire… is no light charge."
In his own way, Budo was looking out for Lancer. Otherwise, he wouldn't have warned him at all. As for the severity in his tone? Compared to a man's life, that hardly mattered.
But Lancer shook his head.
"No. I'm not saying Lord Honest is involved. I'm referring to the technique his bodyguard used. If I'm not mistaken, it was a style from the Imperial Fist Temple. And several of the attackers from before used Imperial Fist Temple techniques as well. I suspect the Imperial Fist Temple might be connected to this."
As Budo had said, casually casting suspicion on a minister of the Empire was not a burden someone like him—merely one of His Majesty's personal guards—could bear. More importantly, Lancer didn't believe he could ever catch that man's tail. It wasn't a lack of confidence. It was clarity. A "thief of the nation" would not leave evidence within his reach.
If he couldn't seize the main target, then he would take a step back.
Compared to Honest—the old fox who wrapped himself in flawless disguises—his subordinates were far more accessible. And the Imperial Fist Temple was unquestionably one of his most important enforcers. After all, there were only so many Teigu users in the Empire.
As for Syura? Frankly, Lancer didn't see much point. Honest surely knew what kind of temperament his son had. Most likely, Syura was already on his father's discard list. Lancer even suspected Honest would be willing to "shed tears while executing his own general," sacrificing his son to polish his own reputation if necessary.
So Lancer's first target was the Imperial Fist Temple. Fortunately, the appearance of one of the Four Rakshasa Demons of the Imperial Fist Temple yesterday had shifted his focus away from Honest himself.
Budo sat in silence, fingers pressed to his chin. The aura around him gradually receded, but the deepening look in his eyes made one thing clear—he was considering Lancer's lead.
The Imperial Fist Temple held a peculiar position within the Empire. Its name was not merely ceremonial. In the past, several of its abbots had served as martial arts instructors to successive Emperors. More importantly, legend held that when the first Emperor ascended the throne, the Temple had rendered him immense assistance. That was how it earned the imperial bestowal of its name.
But little in this world endures unchanged. The bond between the first abbot and the first Emperor may have been one of brotherhood, but generations later, that sentiment had long since faded. What began as camaraderie had evolved into mutual interest.
The Imperial Fist Temple supplied the Empire with a steady stream of mid-level fighters. In return, the Empire preserved the Temple's status. It was a balanced arrangement—but the initiative clearly lay with the imperial house. If one Temple fell, another could be raised in its place.
Moreover, neither Budo nor several of the Empire's top generals had come from the Imperial Fist Temple. That alone made the Empire's wariness plain for all to see.
If what Lancer says is true… then the possibility is real. The Imperial Fist Temple certainly has motive.
Across the room, Lancer watched Budo's gaze grow darker. His instincts told him he'd struck the right chord this time.
The Temple's influence ran deep within the Empire. Even Budo would not provoke them lightly under normal circumstances. But now the Emperor had been attacked. If not for Tiger, His Majesty might well have perished on the spot. That had unquestionably touched Budo's reverse scale.
If the Temple was uninvolved, so be it. But if it was—
Killing intent burst from him without restraint, spreading through the room like a shockwave.
"Lancer. Come with me to see His Majesty. This matter must be decided by the Emperor himself."
"Yes!!"
...
Budo moved like a storm along the way. Members of the Imperial Guard who caught sight of his unusual demeanor could all sense it—something big was about to happen.
"Your Majesty! Your servant, Budo, requests an audience!"
"Enter."
The Emperor felt a familiar exasperation toward his old friend and most trusted subordinate. Their relationship was close enough, yet Budo insisted on such formality. He had long since said that inside the study, there was no need for ceremony.
But when he noticed Lancer standing behind Budo, curiosity flickered across his face. He had indeed summoned Lancer today—to see Tiger—but why had he come together with Budo?
The Emperor's eyes narrowed. A possibility had already formed.
"You have a lead?"
"Yes. A possible one. I'll let Lancer explain."
Budo stepped aside, and Lancer began his report. There was no decisive evidence—only inference. But Lancer had no grievances with the Imperial Fist Temple. There was no reason for him to fabricate such a claim. And at present, they were grasping at nothing. Even a thread was worth pursuing.
"In that case, we'll have it investigated…"
The Emperor did not wish for the Imperial Fist Temple to be entangled in this affair. If confirmed, the consequences would shake the Empire to its foundations. Yet if they were involved, they could not be spared. He understood well enough that decisive action must be taken when the time came.
"Your Majesty!"
Lancer suddenly interrupted. The breach of decorum was obvious. In a public setting, such behavior would almost certainly earn punishment. But this was private—and Lancer had saved his life more than once. The Emperor was not inclined to be overly strict. Besides, the urgency in Lancer's voice suggested something important.
"Lancer. Is there more you wish to add?"
"Your Majesty, forgive my boldness. This time, the assassins did more than attack the convoy—they used my identity as part of their scheme. Most crucially, the poison they employed anticipated General Budo's response. These were no ordinary assassins. At the very least, they had an intimate understanding of everyone on this journey. I fear the number of compromised individuals may be large. Even the Empire's Intelligence Division could be involved."
Lancer did not know whether Honest had already seized control of the Empire's intelligence network at this stage. But it was far from impossible.
The Emperor's expression darkened further. It was only a hypothesis. Yet if it proved true… then what awaited the Empire would not merely be an earthquake.
It would be upheaval.
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