Chapter 119: The Meaning of Politics (5) ── October 31, 06:00
"Damn it... Is it happening or not?"
In a luxury hotel near the Sentinel Knights headquarters, the high-ranking officers of the Imperial Guard had rented out the entire top floor.
Drag. Puff. The smell of cigarette smoke hung thick as fog. Every man there—majors, lieutenant colonels, and colonels alike—wore a face tight with tension.
"...Let's just wait for now."
"Have you heard the rumor?"
"What rumor?"
"They say Chiron and Maximilian had a pretty big clash. Apparently, Chiron stepped up, claiming he'd persuade him no matter what."
Whether Maximilian had wavered or not remained a mystery. However, Chiron was the general manager of the 'Dream Road' operation, so...
Just then.
Thud—
The door to the penthouse suite swung open. Brigadier General Alfred, Major General Martin, and Goebel's other closest confidants emerged, their faces beaming.
The Guard officers all stood and saluted.
"We've heard from Sir Chiron."
"W-what happened?!"
"It seems things went well. He says a deal has been struck."
"Whoo-hoo!"
The Guard members erupted in cheers, embracing one another, slapping backs and clapping.
"We're heading out now to escort General Goebel back," Major General Alfred said with a smile as he put on his overcoat.
"Yes, sir! Loyalty!"
The men quickly scrambled into formation, clearing a path for them to exit.
*
── October 31, 07:00
Adria had seized the painting from Goebel's residence. After returning to her office, she cross-referenced the Cartel's fund movements with art auction records.
There was a definitive record showing that Goebel himself had won the bid for this painting.
"This is hilarious. Seriously? He won the bid for $30,000 because no one recognized it as a Van Helsing?"
Tiana found it absurd. That was how the auction had proceeded, and the painting was later re-appraised at $13 million.
"The record is solid," Adria said, leaning deep into her chair.
Could she tighten the noose around Goebel's neck with this? Could she hang him with it, or at least force his political demise?
"Sir. Just give the word," Jerome said. As Adria's closest aide, Jerome was prepared to take the fall if necessary.
"...Give me a moment."
Adria stood up and walked outside. Tiana followed close behind.
The two stood in a park as the sun began to rise.
"Tiana. Is your relationship with Goebel bad?"
At Adria's question, Tiana nodded cautiously.
"Well, it's a long-standing ill will between our families."
"You said your father was a soldier, right?"
"Yes." Tiana gave a bitter smile. "He was in the Imperial Guard, though he started in the regular army."
He had been deeply trusted by his subordinates and held a good reputation, but he was pushed out during a political faction struggle and received a dishonorable discharge. The shock had left him hemiplegic.
"He's still only thinking about entering politics. His body is broken, but his ambition remains."
"That's dangerous."
"Yes, it is. He's blinded by a desire for revenge."
Tiana closed her eyes, taking in the morning scent of the park.
"What will you do now?"
In response, Adria looked toward the Imperial Palace, now bathed in the morning light.
"We have to take Goebel in ourselves. He's the kind of man we won't be able to summon to the Knights again if we miss this chance."
"But can we take custody of someone who has already been summoned internally?"
It was a natural question regarding procedure. Suddenly—
Adria took a deep breath and spoke.
"Detention authority."
Tiana looked back at her, startled.
A Knight has the authority to detain an individual suspected of being a threat to the Empire for up to 35 days without a warrant.
Exercising that power meant putting one's political life as a Knight on the line.
"It's been five years since I last used it," Adria murmured, a faint smile playing on her lips.
*
── October 31, 07:00
Meanwhile, in a private reception room inside the Knights' headquarters.
Goebel stepped out of the interrogation room and opened the door. Familiar faces were already gathered inside.
The moment they saw him, natural smiles broke out among the high-ranking generals of the Imperial Guard—Goebel's inner circle.
"You've worked hard, Commander."
"Hard? A Commander of the Guard should be able to endure at least this much hardship."
As they approached with sincere concern and bowed their heads, Goebel patted their shoulders in greeting.
"Please, rest comfortably before you head back."
A voice came from behind. It was Chiron.
Goebel smiled.
"Thank you. I hear you put in a lot of effort on my behalf?"
"...To be honest, it was very difficult." Chiron put on a weary expression. "You know what kind of person Maximilian is. I broke a sweat trying to persuade him."
"...I realized that after dealing with him. He's not an easy friend to have."
Goebel sank deep into the sofa and gave a dignified laugh.
"I'll have to think about what kind of gift to give you. Is there anything you want?"
"First... I'll bring some refreshments."
Chiron replied politely and ordered cigars and alcohol to be prepared.
"Oh, thank you. I was just starting to feel tired. How many hours was I in that interrogation room?"
"Sixteen hours. I'll take my leave now."
Sixteen hours. As Goebel let out a hollow laugh, the Guard generals quickly began to applaud.
"You are incredible."
"Even after that... are you truly a man of steel?"
"You really don't seem to age at all."
Even after Chiron left, they idled away the time in the reception room.
"Phew... Still, it was interesting."
Sipping top-tier wine and blowing out cigar smoke, Goebel recounted his exploits. The memory of facing that 'greenhorn' Maximilian. He evaluated that while the boy certainly had a bold side, he wasn't beyond control.
"Now... as regrettable as it is, we must make a decision."
They moved on to discussing who to discard and who to save—the targets for cutting ties.
They wrote the names of subordinates to be used as scapegoats on a piece of paper, drawing an X through some, then changing it back to an O, then drawing an X through another name.
There was no hint of guilt on their faces.
"This should be enough."
"Yes, I understand. Certainly, we'll have to lose at least a finger ourselves."
After a long discussion, the hit list was complete.
Just as they picked up the list with satisfied faces—
BAM!
The reception room door flew open as if it had been smashed. Adria stood on the other side. She held a document in her hand, and Knights were swarming in behind her.
"Wh-what... Adria?"
A flustered Goebel called her name.
"Commander Goebel."
Adria's voice rang out coldly.
"By my authority as a Knight, I am placing you under forced detention."
She thrust the document forward.
An [Emergency Detention Order], based on the special authority of a Knight. It was the greatest power a Knight possessed, and simultaneously, the document that carried the greatest risk.
Goebel's complexion turned ghastly as he stared at it.
*
── October 31, 20:00
CRASH!
The door to Adria's office was thrown open with enough force to nearly break it. Adria raised an eyebrow as if she had been expecting this, while Chiron slammed both hands onto her desk.
"You've finally lost it, Adria."
Adria looked up at him. Chiron's brow was deeply furrowed.
"You're putting the Commander of the Guard under emergency detention?"
"That's right."
"Do you have evidence?"
"Of course."
Adria nodded confidently. A hollow laugh escaped Chiron's lips.
"You have evidence?"
"Yeah. The most definitive evidence there is."
She signed a document as she answered. Chiron sat down across from her.
"I... I am truly worried about you, Adria."
The corner of Adria's mouth twisted. Worried, my foot.
"I'm honestly speechless. Since when did you care so much about me?"
"Detaining the Commander of the Guard without evidence is an act of war. Up until a moment ago—exactly what we did—that was the limit of what could be tolerated as the Sentinel's anger."
"It's fine. The evidence is solid. I seized it from Goebel's house."
Suddenly, Chiron froze. He licked his dry lips and asked again.
"Seized? Evidence?"
"Yeah. Goebel already signed the search and seizure warrant. You guys took it. No, 'we' took it."
On the day of the summons, Goebel had consented to the seizure, but Chiron and the Knights under him hadn't bothered to act on it.
It had been a mere formality.
"...You crazy bitch."
A murderous glint entered Chiron's eyes. Adria did not back down.
"Chiron, you said it yourself. A Sentinel is a Sentinel. There is no 'you guys' or 'us.' I just followed that to the letter."
A cold smile spread across her face.
"Isn't that right?"
"..."
Chiron was at a loss for words.
He truly wanted to punch her in the face, but to show anger was to lose.
"If you're so confident, then go ahead."
Chiron stood up.
SLAM—!
Creeeeeak!
The hinges snapped and fell off.
"He sure slams doors hard."
She'd have to charge him for the repairs later.
"...Phew."
Adria took a deep breath.
This was the perfect time to catch Goebel. The reason she used the special power of detention was because there would never be another opportunity like this.
Even with solid proof, if that man dragged his feet until a war broke out, everything would turn into scrap paper.
"Tomorrow."
She had already recruited the appraisers. The verification would take place first thing tomorrow morning.
"Tomorrow..."
One of the biggest reasons this Order maintained a semblance of normalcy was Anton.
They could absolutely never afford to lose him.
*
── November 1, 09:00
In the Grand Hall of the Knights' headquarters. With the leadership of the Knights, including Vice Commander Anton, and high-ranking officials dispatched from the Imperial Palace in attendance, Adria presented the evidence.
"It is a piece of art. The title is 'Tears of a Lady,' a work by the master, Van Helsing."
Van Helsing. A master from Progen who died over a hundred years ago.
"I will now examine this painting, which Commander Goebel clearly won at auction."
She revealed the back of the canvas. As everyone's attention focused, an appraiser sprayed a solution on it.
Ssssss.
Like an Active Residual Trace, certain letters began to glow with a blue light.
[From Pellier of Venikia]
[To Goebel, Leader of the Imperial Guard]
It was a handwritten signature and message left by Pellier—the Capo of the Parmano Cartel.
"This is definitive proof that Pellier gave this to Goebel as a bribe."
Chiron's faction stared blankly at the painting, while a strange excitement flickered on the faces of Anton's faction.
The members of the Guard and the people from the Palace looked like they were on the verge of death.
"We will now begin the public verification of the evidence in question."
At those words, the Empire's top appraisers stepped forward—one, two, three, four, five, six.
A total of six men gathered to peer at the painting through magnifying glasses.
"..."
A tense silence filled the room. Everyone was the same. Chiron, Adria, and likely Goebel, detained in the dungeon—all of them waited for the appraisal with hearts pounding.
"First. I will explain the signature itself."
After a long while, the most authoritative appraiser spoke cautiously.
"It is correct that it was made by mixing finely crushed mana stones with a special pigment produced only in Venikia. The variety of the mana stone itself is presumed to be 'Tunic,' the highest purity mana stone from Venikia—that is, the southeast."
Adria clenched her fists. She could feel Tiana's heartbeat racing beside her.
"However, more so than this signature..."
Suddenly, the appraiser tilted his head. He looked at the appraiser next to him, who looked at the one next to him, who in turn looked at the one next to him.
They exchanged troubled glances—and soon reached a conclusion.
"The painting itself... is a forgery."
"...What?"
Adria's eyes widened. Everyone else was the same. A wave of commotion rippled through the entire space.
"It is an extremely sophisticated forgery. The brushstrokes and colors are similar to the original, but it is distinctly different from Van Helsing's work. They've even mixed things to make carbon dating difficult... Yes. It's a fake of a level that would deceive most appraisers."
The appraiser continued.
"Furthermore, if it is not an original, this signature could have been forged and inserted at any time... Does anyone have a dissenting opinion?"
The appraiser asked the others. They all shook their heads, indicating they were of the same mind.
It was unanimous.
"...The painting itself is a fake?"
Adria felt a sharp pain in her head, as if it were cramping.
Had someone swapped the painting? Or was it a trap from the beginning? Or did those idiots in the Cartel try to save money?
No. That couldn't be it. This artwork had been verified by the auction house, and there was a record of the actual winning bid...
Amidst the endlessly expanding questions, she suddenly felt someone's gaze.
Adria slowly turned her head.
The Grand Hall was a sea of murmurs and confusion. In this situation where even Chiron looked bewildered, among the countless confused Knights, there was one man with exceptionally brilliant golden eyes.
Maximilian.
He was looking at her with an expressionless face.
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