The Camellia Tattoo - Chapter 118
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
this book is completely translated on luna kofi (advanced chapters for the website will follow)
This may seem more like the methods of mercenaries rather than knights, but the Frost Giant Order has taught a blend of the two approaches since its inception. Their hallmark is the combination of adaptability with rigid discipline, cruelty with a sense of justice.
“Ahhh! You filthy bastards! You cursed fiends! Aaaaah!”
…And providing apprentices with opportunities to grow is also a feature of the Frost Giants.
The efficiency compared to the effort put in is remarkable.
Raphael observed the apprentices closely, contemplating such thoughts.
This too is part of psychological warfare.
Raphael must not remain engaged with the criminal. If he did, the criminal might start believing they were somehow important.
However, when these inexperienced apprentices take turns torturing, it becomes increasingly difficult for the criminal to endure.
Because of the bruised ego.
“…Rooch.”
Raphael, who had been timing, quietly turned at the sound of the faint groan coming from the slumped head.
“Dove, brooch…..”
“Do you not know it’s the High Priest?”
“If you want to know, I can tell you…”
She was prepared to give false testimony.
At the desired response, Raphael raised his hand. The apprentices who had been working on various tasks promptly withdrew.
“Find out about the Dove Brooch. Put a gag on her.”
Finally, there was something to report to Igmeyer.
Leaving the scene in the hands of the apprentices, Raphael moved out himself.
Hoping this would be a means to drive away the unwelcome guest in one go.
* * *
That night.
“What is the meaning of this! How dare you!”
Chaos erupted in the prince’s, Loki’s, bedroom.
Loki, who had been trying to sleep comfortably in his pajamas, jumped up in shock at the knights’ sudden intrusion. The attendants shivered and formed a human shield around the prince.
However, the knights showed no interest in the precious prince.
“Search everywhere!”
“Find every corner!”
In reality, the northern knights had no particular dislike for this naive prince.
Although a bit noisy and troublesome, he was just a child, after all.
There were more who pitied him for being driven away from his parents and having to eat by the side.
But if he was engaging in trivial antics, that changed the situation.
“We found it! The Dove Brooch!”
Moments later, at the cry of one of the knights, everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered around.
Indeed, in the knight’s hand was the Dove Brooch.
“W-what? What is that?!”
The prince, who had been trembling in surprise in the middle of the night, finally shouted. His voice, strained and hoarse, was far from dignified.
“How dare you treat a prince of the realm like this over something like that!”
The knights said nothing to his protest. They simply retreated from the bedroom, where various items lay broken and scattered.
The one who answered the distressed, tearful Loki was the last to appear—the master of the castle.
Igmeyer Niflheim.
“If that prince committed evil deeds on my land, the situation would be different.”
“W-what? What did I do!”
Loki trembled with frustration.
The reddened eyes, pounding heart, and gasping breath all revealed how young Loki truly was.
In truth, all Loki had done was take on the role of the villain to improve relations between them, and even that seemed to have been a grave mistake.
He hadn’t stopped Mikael, even though he knew what Mikael was planning. After Iona appeared, he only tried to protect Iona, failing to go to the Duchess and honestly explain that it was all part of the High Priest’s scheme.
Perhaps this was his due punishment. Something he was bound to pay.
Though it was a very childish thought, the young often don’t realize their own youth.
Ultimately, having given up all resistance, Loki turned his gaze away as if awaiting execution.
He didn’t bow his head, but he couldn’t see Amber, standing behind Igmeyer. He suspected she was hiding something.
“How… How is the prince? The culprit…”
Amber, who hesitated in her words, gave up on any further defense. It seemed futile anyway.
In truth, if one carefully considered it, no one here had explicitly stated what Loki’s crime was, yet he had resigned himself to the situation.
That’s how he had lived so far.
“The prince will be detained until the investigation is complete.”
Loki didn’t even ask what the investigation was about.
As he watched the attendants being dragged out, he staggered and collapsed onto the sofa.
“What is going on?”
He was trying to calm his pounding heart as best he could when a voice, like that of a savior, reached his ears.
“May I ask what the prince has been involved in?”
The calm voice seemed to be on his side.
Loki shot up from the sofa and, with a nearly tearful expression, looked at the High Priest, Mikael.
“The crime is sending a woman named Iona to falsely claim a pregnancy. We will now slowly uncover any other schemes he might have been involved in.”
