Lord of Caldera

The last remark made the Marquis's face flush with embarrassment, while the noble who had spoken looked away, stammering. The suggestion, however, found agreement among the nobles, each nodding in turn.

"Ensuring everyone's condition is important."

"Yes, let's take a day's rest."

"There may be injuries that haven't surfaced yet."

"Urgent news!" A knight of the Marquis rushed in, visibly flustered. The Marquis, Serge, frowned at the knight's lack of decorum before the guests.

"What's the meaning of this chaos?"

"The Imperial Inspector has arrived, my lord."

"...!" The nobles turned pale. They had expected this might happen, but to arrive just as the third trial began was disastrous timing. With a crowd of witnesses, denial was impossible.

"Damn it, this dragged on too long."

"Of all times, right before the new king is chosen..."

Each noble cast anxious looks at one another, even the Marquis. Normally, he would propose a course, and the others would follow. But Karl's failure to distinguish himself had cost him his standing.

"Curse it. If I try to gather support and am rejected, I'll lose whatever authority I have left."

The Marquis chose a cautious approach. Rather than risk taking the lead, he decided to bide his time, critiquing any inappropriate remarks to build his influence. But this caused indecision among the nobles. As the anxiety grew and time passed, a voice broke the silence.

"What are you all doing?" Bjorn's voice cut through.

"Lord Bjorn," the nobles stammered, caught off guard. Their hesitation over taking responsibility was shameless, especially now. Bjorn, acting as the Northern lord rather than a candidate, raised his voice.

"The Inspector has arrived. Why are we not preparing to meet him?"

"But what should we say..." one began.

"Just be honest," Bjorn replied, "about the Chieftain, about the king."

"Be careful! That could brand us as traitors!"

Bjorn glared at the protesting noble, his expression one of clear disdain.

"If you feared that, why did you attend the Platinum Council? Why did you agree to the king's selection?"

The nobles fell silent under Bjorn's scolding. At the time, they'd assumed the king would be chosen before any Inspector arrived. Bjorn guessed their thoughts and sighed.

"Get a hold of yourselves. This situation isn't as dire as it seems."

"What do you mean?"

"Set aside the king's selection. As far as the Empire sees, the North is already unified and merely awaiting the king's nomination. The Chieftain is alive and well, isn't he?"

"…!" The nobles were suddenly alert. It was true. Communication was slower than many realized in this era, and gathering details from the North was no small task. The Inspector couldn't possibly know they were locked in an awkward coexistence with tribal outsiders.

"If the North becomes fully unified, the Empire will find it difficult to interfere."@@novelbin@@

"They wouldn't risk facing a united Northern force by branding us as traitors."

The nobles, who had been blinded by their fears, began to think clearly for the first time.

"A clever move indeed, Lord Bjorn!"

"If our hearts are clear, we can face them boldly!" Bjorn replied with resolve.

If the Empire hesitated, the rest would be simple: prove their loyalty, request the reestablishment of the royal title, and restore order.

'It won't be so easy...' Bjorn thought. 'But with a united North, it's worth a shot.'

By then, they would have a true king chosen and the North unified, and though some disturbances might arise, at least the Empire would remain unaware. As the nobles, now more assured, regained their composure, Bjorn sighed internally.

'Honestly, I doubt it will go that smoothly.'

Bjorn's plan was sound. If the Imperial Inspector was rational, he wouldn't dare meddle with a united North. The problem was if he was unreasonable.

'A rational excuse means nothing if they refuse to listen.'

Bjorn knew well how often that happened. The endless tensions between the capital and the North, the looming risk of war, and the vast resources consumed—of course, the North should be considered. But in this world, some people would ignore everything, starting wars over mere offenses. However, Bjorn recalled his lord's unshakeable confidence.

"Lord, what should we do?"

"What do you mean? Just be honest with them."

"If the Inspector doesn't listen, there could be serious consequences."

"Don't worry. I'll handle whatever comes next."

Sylas Corleone seemed inexplicably confident, as if he had every intention of handling any fallout. He had never made an empty promise before, so Bjorn trusted he had a reason for his assurance this time too.

"I am Rozier Ridgeback, Imperial Inspector."

'He's a prickly one,' thought Viscount Thorburn upon seeing the Inspector. The man was thin, with sharp, arched eyebrows, a stiff posture, and an air that seemed to pierce anyone who approached. He resembled a sharpened steel rod brought to life.

"You're quite late," Rozier said, glaring at the Marquis and nobles gathered to represent the North. His voice was cold, with an edge that sent a chill through the room.

"My apologies. We were briefly occupied," the Marquis replied.

"I understand. Busy with your treasonous schemes, I assume."

"What...!"

The Marquis flinched at the harsh accusation, but Rozier continued, his expression unchanging.

"I hear you're electing a king."

"That's right. However, the circumstances are—"

"It's treason."

"Listen here! At least hear us out!" The Marquis tried to explain.

"What's the need to listen?"

Rozier cut him off, showing a clear disregard for any excuses.

"The mere act of reinstating a king independently is treason. Gathering forces to impose this on the Empire is also treason. And refusing to admit this only further confirms your treason."

The nobles gaped, stunned by his audacious condemnation. Was he not here to investigate but to accuse them from the outset? As silence fell, Rozier's gaze landed on Sylas Corleone.

"Even a member of House Corleone is here."

"I am merely—"

"No need for excuses."

Again, Rozier cut him off coldly, and Sylas clicked his tongue, his stare sharp.

"So, I suppose…" Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire

"I'll have to inform the Count of your actions. He'll have to face consequences as well."

"And the reason for that would be...?"

"There can be no justification. Any reason you might offer would only reinforce your guilt as treasonous."