Chapter 65. On the Brink (2)
"They've identified the 'Black Knight'."
As the cautious words slipped from Lazlot's lips, a cold sweat trickled down my back.
'What... did you say?'
Caught off guard, I couldn't say anything and just stared blankly at Lazlot.
Maintaining Yulian's poker face all this time felt like it was crumbling. Was it just my imagination?
No, it couldn't be.
I'd only acted as the 'Black Knight' twice!
In those instances, there was no way I could have been discovered...
'Were there slip-ups? No, there weren't...'
Even though I knew the game inside and out, there was always the unknown.
'The story might have changed because of me.'
Lazlot, who served as a double agent, wouldn't report uncertain information to me.
Especially since I held a significant weakness over him, and the purple haze clearly visible around him when we met confirmed his reliability.
'He wouldn't report nonsense to me.'
Seeing Lazlot's unwavering gaze...
'Is it true? Damn it.'
Lazlot's report felt like a bombshell.
Gulp.
I tried to quell the fire burning within me with a swallow, but it had no calming effect.
The noise of my gulp sounded exceptionally loud, and I worried Lazlot might hear it.
"Haha. Is that so? I too am curious about the identity of the 'Black Knight' who caused such a stir within the capital."
Whew, that was tough to say.
Keeping my face as expressionless as possible, I aimed to use a tone revealing no emotion while hinting at casual curiosity.
Despite my words, the purple haze remained in full bloom above Lazlot's head.
"Though I'm not sure of the details, the archbishop who heard the rumors wishes to speak with you directly, Yulian. A messenger will come soon."
Hmm, this is really bad.
I subtly bit my lip to maintain my composed exterior.
Huh? Something about this still seems off?
I had obstructed Pintel's Soul Stone acquisition.
And thwarted Pintel's recruitment of Lugar.
Leaving Bishop Pintel high and dry...
Reflecting, I felt a twinge of guilt toward Pintel. Ahem.
Anyway, if they knew the culprit was me, there'd be no peaceful resolution with the Dawn Society.
They'd surely deploy the Monsignors, their combat unit, and the formidable bishop fighters...
'... They would have killed me by now.'
Given my knowledge of the Dawn Society, they'd certainly act that way.
'Why hadn't they, then?'
I was clueless.
Perhaps it was just a misunderstanding.
I could only hope.
"What are you going to do?"
Lazlot's question, laced with visible tension, drew my gaze slowly toward him.
"To meet simply with Sir Tenelon..."
Deliberately trailing off, I scrutinized his face.
Seeing no change suggested he knew nothing beyond what had already been mentioned.
'A trap, maybe.'
Regardless, avoiding an encounter while suspicion lingered would only fuel the rumors.
Turning guesses into convictions would happen in a heartbeat.
"When is the messenger expected?"
***
Riding the carriage sent by the Dawn Society, I soon arrived at the glasshouse located on the outskirts of the capital.
"Sir Tenelon is waiting for you inside."
As I exited the carriage, guards who had been stationed to watch the glasshouse approached and greeted me respectfully.
Despite their ordinary appearance and demeanor, I was certain about one thing.
They were 'Monsignors'.
'Why are they here...?'
Under normal circumstances, I'd accept it as natural for them to be guarding the archbishop, but now I regarded their presence as suspicious.
Surely not, it couldn't be, could it?
As my doubts grew, everything that was once normal became abnormal.
Suppressing my unrest, I walked toward the greenhouse.
'... They've arranged it quite nicely.'
Inside, the vitality was palpable.
Thanks to the appropriate temperature and humidity, the plants arranged in the greenhouse looked lush, and whoever tended them had clearly done a good job; there wasn't a corner out of place.
However, one incongruous individual that disrupted the harmony sat at the central table.
"You're here. It's the first time we're meeting alone like this."
For some reason, the welcoming aura of Tenelon made me offer an awkward greeting. Though I didn't show it, of course.
"How about this?"
Tenelon indicated with his hand to look around.
Surrounding him were potted plants and orchids exuding freshness, seemingly well-cared for.
'What do you want?'
What was the intention of that question?
What did he summon me for?
Did he already know everything?
A storm of thoughts whirled through my mind.
"I heard you have a hobby of growing orchids. How is it? This orchid, did I manage to grow it well?"
Although the question seemed unexpected, my face displayed no hint of surprise.
Wearing a straight face, unlike the crescent-like, unseen eyes that smiled, I hid my emotions behind the 'slit-eyed villain' character facade.
"It looks like you grew them yourself."
"That's right. It was quite a task. How about it? I'd like to hear the opinion of an expert like you."
I ran my hand over the orchid that Tenelon claimed to have grown and muttered to myself.
"Even without being an expert, a layperson could see this is really awful. How does one manage to ruin orchids like this? Even if you only watered them on schedule or ensured they got some sun, it wouldn't have turned out this bad. You truly have no knack for orchids."
A forthright assessment, yet factual.
It appeared they'd been overexposed to the sun, causing the leaf edges to brown, and evidence of past moldy patches was visible.
If the surface showed this much damage, chances were the roots had rotted away.
There might have been a nicer way to word it.
However, my own feelings towards orchids, which I regarded as dearly as children, alongside Yulian's blunt manner, caused the harsh words to slip from my mouth.
"Haha, is that so?"
Despite the formal tone, Tenelon merely took it with good humor.
"Yulian, I find your personality quite appealing. You don't flatter me with sweet talk just to curry my favor like the other bishops do."
Though he was smiling, Tenelon's eyes gleamed sharply as he said it.
"Because of your nature, I was really surprised by this incident."
... Huh? What...?
His words caught me off guard, inwardly startling me.
"I didn't expect someone to operate under the name 'Black Knight'..."
Hearing 'Black Knight' from his mouth felt like a heavy, formidable object dropping onto my chest.
Tenelon might have said something in between, but I focused solely on those words,
'Black Knight.'
I gulped at Tenelon's calmly delivered words.
'Does he... know?'
I struggled to keep my entire body from reacting, but couldn't suppress an infinitesimal tremble.
How much of what I've done had been discovered?
In the worst case, we'd end up crossing swords here, followed by a desperate escape, chased by the Dawn Society outside.
No, escape from this place itself might be problematic.
"Such a situation, with Monsignors and the cultists of the Dawn Society spread around this greenhouse..."
And Tenelon being here, the strongest force of the Dawn Society, didn't bode well.
'I shouldn't have come...'
As I calmed my racing heart, I looked at Tenelon as if nothing was wrong.
"Regardless of the scale of impact, the 'Black Knight' remains an unforgivable foe. For they disrupted the work of our Dawn Society."
"Of course, Sir Tenelon. 'They' cannot be allowed free reign, naturally."
My answer elicited a moment of foreign light in Tenelon's eyes as he fidgeted with the awful orchid.
I pretended to agree with Tenelon's words while being wary of his movements.
Simultaneously, my right hand discretely maneuvered to a more accessible position, ready to draw my sword, should the need arise.
'Ugh.'
The wound on my side stung, making me wince. The injury from Pintel at the 'Twilight Flame' hadn't fully healed.
Against ordinary Monsignors or bishops, I would likely escape unscathed, but facing off against Tenelon...?
My mind hastily calculated the shortest, most optimal escape route...
It proved difficult.
'Bloody hell, this is going to be tough.'
The urgency caused anxiety to blossom.
'Should I make the first move?'
Caught in this whirlwind of thoughts, Tenelon leisurely continued, looking me squarely in the eye,
"Yet who would have thought that you yourself were investigating the 'Black Knight' first..."
Uh, um? What?
"That aside, someone with obsessional tendencies like yourself wouldn't visit that filthy slum without reason."
His continual absurdity was almost laughable.
"... Is it not?"
Tenelon registered my stilted reaction with a quizzical head tilt.
I mustn't let this slip away.
A voice echoed hauntingly within me, cutting through my thoughts.
"Fufu, I took great care not to expose myself, but your intelligence gathering surpasses expectations, truly remarkable, Sir Tenelon."
"Indeed, who would have guessed?"
Tenelon let out a short laugh before continuing,
"Not only is the 'Black Knight' connected to a slum organization that divided itself into thirds, known as the 'Nameless Band'."
Huh? What is this nonsensical prattle?
Despite Tenelon's conjecture, perplexity clouded my mind.
"Fufu, truly remarkable. Your abilities, Sir Tenelon, are beyond estimation."
My tongue was already furthering the misunderstanding.
"To think you knew before me, having investigated in the slums directly. When did you find out?"
Just now! Right now!
You told me just a moment ago!
"It hasn't been long for me either. Only recently did I secretly instruct 'Blind Eyes' members to investigate the 'Black Knight'. It's quite recent."
"Is that so? It seems the imperial intelligence is indeed formidable. Hahaha!"
Tenelon's uproarious laughter almost made me want to laugh too.
Are you... an idiot?
***
To think the Nameless Band in the slums would claim that the 'Black Knight' is one of theirs.
I can vaguely understand the reasoning behind it.
Despite dividing the slum, they're a weaker faction compared to other organizations.
They don't accrue much revenue through abhorrent trades and connections like the 'Six Fingers' or the 'Blood Demon Order'.
They're a rather middling organization.
Nothing more than a small-scale group bravely putting on airs—banking on meager strength alone to elevate their status.
It seems their attempt at riding the fame wave of the 'Black Knight' is to spread the rumors afar.
Indeed... The aspect of wearing masks and maintaining a low profile coincides with the 'Black Knight' and the 'Nameless Band'.
They claim to be the masked benefactor, the 'Black Knight' who thwarted noble tyranny at the 'Twilight Flame'.
'It's not a bad strategy.'
Leveraging their identity—wherein anyone can become part of the Nameless Band—merging with rumored narratives and safeguarding themselves.
For an organization with the least power, it's a reasonable thought.
The problem, however, lies in the fact that the nobles they confronted at the 'Twilight Flame' aren't ordinary nobles.
'They're intertwined with the Dawn Society.'
Hence, the Nameless Band's position grew precarious. Or it will.
― The Nameless Band must be dealt with sooner or later.
Tenelon harbored a desire for the utter annihilation of the Nameless Band.
'They should've been more discerning before involving themselves.'
Their luck was truly abysmal.
'For me, does that mean it's fortunate?'
Even if they bear the 'Black Knight' name and perish, the name itself doesn't disappear.
In essence, as focus consolidates on them being the 'Black Knight', it eases my maneuverability.
After all, to prevent the resurrection of the Demon God, disrupting the Dawn Society's plans is necessary.
"Yulian."
Upon returning to 'Blind Eyes' duties from the greenhouse meeting with Tenelon, I noticed Ordwin standing at the entrance.
A small stature for a woman.
One might wonder if she could competently perform her duties as the 'commander' of Blind Eyes, but her lack of fear of 'Yulian' qualifies her for the position.
"You arrived at just the right time. Although you're likely to dismiss it as before, I must still inquire about your stance."
Speaking matter-of-factly, she pulled a small scroll from her pocket.
Unlike usual, the scroll, with its opulent surface, piqued my curiosity, diverging from her standard demeanor.
"Here, take this."
Grasping the scroll adorned with intricate patterns she handed over, I untied it to examine its contents.
"... It's an invitation."
"Yes, it's an invitation to the birthday of Arva Godricht, the eldest son. There's been a request from the Godricht family for you, Yulian, to attend as the representative of 'Blind Eyes'."
The Godricht family.
The mention of that name brought the woman from the 'Twilight Flame' incident back to mind.
Arrogantly embodying aristocracy itself; a spoilt aristocrat.
'On further thought, why invite me to the eldest son's coming-of-age birthday?'
It was difficult to comprehend.
As for a child's birthday, especially the 'eldest' son's birthday, they wouldn't wish to invite someone like 'Yulian' to set the mood.
At least that's how I would think.
Why tempt fate unnecessarily?
"It's strange; I thought Commander Ordwin of 'Blind Eyes' would represent it."
Honestly, I find it bothersome to attend, and it'd be troublesome to become embroiled in an incident there.
Moreover, not comprehending the 'intention' behind that 'invitation', I subtly prodded Ordwin.
"... I didn't expect that. You certainly are fond of boasting. I doubt you truly think that way. I am well aware that I am a puppet commander."
She looked at me with her slitted gaze.
"Besides, among the four great families, godricht seems the only family to regard you favorably, correct?"
Strange.
Holding 'Yulian' in good regard, what reasons could they have?
"Thanks to your purge of the Hirans family, they could monopolize the Hundred Garments Emporium, deeply entwined with their family."
Now that, I could understand.
"But what does it matter? After all, you never attend such social gatherings."
Her gaze suggested my declining would be natural, as she looked directly at me.
It seemed like this was standard for Yulian not to partake in such invitations through 'Blind Eyes'.
"Considering past interactions. From my standpoint, caught between observing the court and the nobles, it would be better if you went..."
"Understood. I shall attend."
"See, it's the same old..."
Upon receiving my reply, she looked over with suspicion at the strange turn of events.
"What?"
"Upon Commander Ordwin's earnest appeal, I shall make an appearance."
Clacky's Corner:
I loled at the misunderstanding of who the Black Knight is.
And had a chuckle at the end of the chapter.