Chapter 158 – Rolling in By the Vine (5)

Raon could see Cale's stiff expression.

"Raon."

The low voice made Raon realize that his thought might be going too wild. Raon started to speak with a stiff expression as well.

"•••Yes?"

Raon had a perfect grasp of Cale's strength. The Black Dragon's front paw patted on Cale's leg.

"Human, I said something too wild. Not only is your body weak, your influence is also much less than the Empire's royal family. So just sit back. I will loot the palace for you."
"What are you talking about?"
"Hmm?"

Contrary to Raon, who had been serious about looting the palace for Cale, Cale started to pack the box and diary up as he shared his new plan.

"Let's look for it starting tomorrow."
"Human, that is more like you! The Grand Palace is just dust compared to a great and mighty Dragon! Do not worry! I will destroy anything in our way!"

Cale ignored the vicious ramblings of a five-year-old as he headed to the only window on the floor.
He stopped in front of the window.

He had not considered breaking in through this window.
The window was only about as wide as Cale's face. There were also iron bars, making it difficult to see outside.

However, the Vatican was completely visible past this window. You could even see the Alchemists' Bell Tower and the Grand Palace behind the Vatican as well.

Raon moved over to Cale, who was looking out the window. Cale touched the bars as he started to speak.

"The Holy Maiden must have had it hard. She had to spend her life in this prison."

Cale's emotional statement made Raon recall his years in the cave. Raon looked toward Cale with an emotional gaze.
'This human really is a good person. He knows how to have this kind of thought as well.'

"Raon."
"Yes, good human."
"Let's resolve this Holy Maiden's grudges."
"Yes! Human, let's do it!"

Cale smiled while looking at Raon energetically nod his head. It was a very sly smile.

* * *

"Are you done?"

Cale nodded his head at Choi Han's question and handed him a bottle.

"…Isn't this dead mana?"

It was a bottle of dead mana. It would kill anybody who drank it. Cale was always carrying this around while saying, 'just in case.'
Cale pointed outside the tower and started to speak.

"Pull up all the grass in the garden and put one or two drops of dead mana in the dirt. It would be bad if it gets polluted."

Choi Han found it difficult to wrap his head around the sudden command, but he had a good idea about what Cale was trying to do.

"Cale-nim, do I just need to leave evidence of Arm being here?"

'He really is smart.'
Although Choi Han acted aloof every so often, Cale knew that he was a smart person.

"Yes. I'll also tell you the location of a fake alchemist in the slums, so go find him. He'll understand if you say that the priest sent you."
"What do I need to tell him to do?"
"Tell him to spread a rumor."
"What rumor?"

Cale was thinking about preparing to fight against the Empire after the war against the Northern Alliance. That was why he had expected to go up against the Empire at least two years later.

'But things are different now.'

Things would change if he could get his hands on the divine item of the Church of the Sun God.
People tend to believe when they see miracles happen.

'We will shake the Empire.'

He needed to spread the seeds in the Empire.
Cale gave an order to Choi Han who was looking at him.

"The Empire lost the person who could deliver the word of the lord. An evil power will bring forth the eternal night. The proof of this has appeared close to the tower where the heretic was trapped."

He would share this rumor with the children of the slums and they would slowly spread it throughout the Empire.

* * *

Crown prince Alberu did not feel good after hearing some news this morning. He was then curious. That was why he had called Cale Henituse over.

Click.
The teacup was placed on the table and Alberu looked toward Cale, who was sitting across from him, and started to speak.

"Was it you?"
"What are you talking about, your highness?"

Alberu was certain after seeing Cale eating a cookie with an expression that seemed to be saying, 'I know nothing.'

"It was you."
"What was?"
"What did you do to the Vatican?"

Crunch.
Cale started to smile as he bit down on the cookie. ((PR: Cale is an innocent lil child.) )

It happened earlier this morning. The Empire sent a message to the Roan Kingdom's investigation team to halt their investigations for a moment.
Alberu recalled the contents of the message. The Empire was openly pressuring a foreign kingdom. That upset him, but more importantly, what mattered was that the Empire seemed to be in such a crisis that it was willing to end their cooperation if needed.
He looked toward Cale and started to speak.

"The Empire suddenly ordered that we will not be able to investigate for three days."
"I see. How disappointing."

Tap. Tap.

Alberu started to speak after tapping on the armrest of his chair a couple of times.

"Something must have happened in the Vatican last night, but they do not seem to blame us or suspect us of doing anything. They seemed more like they were preventing us from going to the Vatican to investigate."
"So did you agree to their terms, your highness?"
"You think I'm crazy enough to accept it right away? I said it is too much that they are not allowing us to investigate for three days when we are only here for a week."

Honestly speaking, Alberu did not have any reason to complain.
The investigation was not a big deal. It was just a small portion of the reason he came to the Empire.

"Your highness, what if you asked them to reduce the number of administrators observing us in the remaining time in return for not being able to investigate for three days?"
"That is exactly what I asked for."

Alberu's frown loosened up a bit. The two of them made eye contact and started to sigh.

It would be easier for Cale and the Dark Elves to loot the Vatican if the Empire lessened the number of people observing their movements.

Alberu picked his teacup back up and started to speak.

"I guess you don't plan on talking."

Cale shrugged his shoulders. Normally, Alberu should get angry as the crown prince when someone refuses to answer his question like this, however, there was no need to do that.

"Your highness, it will be a benefit for the Roan Kingdom."

Cale Henituse. He never said anything that he did not mean. Although he caused a lot of incidents, he never did anything to harm the Roan Kingdom.

'In fact, he has helped the kingdom quite a bit.'

Cale Henituse was someone who did anything and everything to help and protect the Roan Kingdom.
That was why Alberu let it go without saying anything.

'…He is a trustworthy punk.'

Trust was slowly developing between the two of them. Alberu looked toward Cale with a slightly more relaxed expression. There was curiosity in his gaze.
Cale cautiously called out to the crown prince at that moment.

"Your highness."
"What is it?"
"Then can we relax today?"

Alberu instantly started to frown again.

"…What are you trying to do?"

Cale responded back with a bright expression.

"Doing some reading and going for a walk."
"Who is planning to do that?"

Cale pointed to himself.

"I am."

There was a disguised high-grade Dark Elf mage in the room.
However, Alberu could not hold back.

"…You're driving me nuts."

Cale casually got up and Alberu waved for him to quickly leave. Cale smiled at the Dark Elf that was looking at him oddly and headed to the Empire's library to read.

However, he could not go alone.

"Young master-nim, it will be fine if you follow this knight as a guide."

One of the Empire's knights stuck to him.

It was the red-haired knight.
Yes, it was that Cat.

"Where would you like to go, young master-nim?"

The Cat Knight who seemed to be in his tweens asked in a low voice. However, the voice he intentionally lowered to act like a majestic knight was extremely awkward.

"Please take me to the Empire's library. Foreigners are allowed on the first floor, right?"
"Yes sir, it is allowed. I will guide you there."

The Cat Knight quickly started to walk.
Cale followed a half step behind the Cat while Choi Han and an invisible Raon followed behind him.

– Human, he keeps peeking over at you.

'Right?'
The Cat Knight continued to peek at Cale as he guided them to the destination. He was doing it in a way that seemed to be hoping that Cale would catch on.

That was why Cale ignored him.

'Why would I talk to someone who probably came here to kill someone?'

Cale just focused his gaze on the Empire's library up ahead, which was one of the Mogoru Empire's pride and joy. It was a modest yet exquisite appearance that made it look more like an academy than a palace.

The thought of the divine item made Cale's footsteps lighter.
Then came the hook.

"Excuse me, young master-nim."
"•••What is it?"

The Cat Knight flinched after seeing the gaze of the noble whose hair was a brighter shade of red than his own. However, he carefully asked his question.

"Do you have pet cats?"

Cale felt his heart drop.

"Why do you think that?"

The Cat Knight answered back while looking like an embarrassed little boy.

"I just smelled cats on you."

He looked really pure as he scrunched up his freckled nose. However, the Cat Knight could see that Cale's expression did not change at all when he looked up.
Cale's gaze made him wonder whether he was wrong. Cale started to speak at that moment.

"Are you sure you aren't the one with a cat?"
"Excuse me?"
"It looks like you are the one with a cat."

Slight panic became visible on the pure face. Cale's hand landed on the knight's shoulder at that moment.
Swipe. Swipe.

The knight's shoulders stiffened at Cale's motion. Cale and the Cat Knight made eye contact.

"You have some animal fur on your uniform."
"•••Is that so?"
"Yes. It looks like you have a red cat that matches your hair?"

Cale asked with a gentle smile as the knight shook his head.

"It must be my hair. I do not have any pets."
"Is that so?"
Cale could see that the knight turned serious.

"Yes sir. I hate animals."

He seemed to mean it.
Cale did not say anything else as he started to walk again. The Cat knight started to describe the things around them once more. Cale heard Raon's voice in his head.

– He seemed super excited when he asked if you had pet cats, but he seemed serious when he said that he hates animals! It was very odd!

'Right?'
This knight was an odd one.
However, Cale reaffirmed his decision when Choi Han whispered in his ear once he left the Cat Knight outside the library and walked in.

"Cale-nim, that knight's strength is too high for him to be someone's guide. Being a knight seems to be a cover."

'I'll pretend not to know.'
An assassin's thought process was none of Cale's business, as usual.
However, Cale could not help but recall some of the information that Hilsman had brought back about that knight.

'That knight is originally from the slums.'
'Apparently, he grew up with poor parents and many siblings, but his good character made him popular with the people in the slums and the general public. They call him a Dragon from the river. (This is an idiom for something rare. You wouldn't normally find a Dragon coming out of a river. (PR: A-Are dragons common in other places then?) )

The final piece of information kept crossing his mind.
The Cat Knight was 23 years old.

'Some of his siblings were said to have gone to the Alchemy Tower 15 years ago. His parents definitely seem to be human.'

15 years ago. The slums.
He thought about the Alchemists' Bell Tower.

Who did the Cat knight come here to kill?

Cale did not worry about it too much. Instead, he followed the librarian around the first floor of the library.
The librarian seemed happy but shocked.

"It has been a while since I've seen a foreigner who is interested in the history of the palace."
"Is that so? I just want to learn more about the long history of the Empire."
"I see."
"Shouldn't you at least know the history of a place that invited you over?"

The librarian nodded his head at Cale's response. The librarian liked this young foreigner's attitude.
They stopped in front of the public chronology of the Empire and explained it to Cale.

"This is where we have the information on the history of the Empire as well as the achievements of past Emperors."
"Hoo, I see. I will slowly look through them."
"Yes sir. Please come to the desk if you need any help."

The librarian nodded his head and smiled with satisfaction at the young master who immediately started to read.

'I guess he must like the Empire quite a bit to know the Empire's language.'

That was the reason for the librarian's curiosity.
Although the first floor of the library was open to foreigners, all of the books were in the Empire's language. Although they were proclaiming that it was open to foreigners, they were still saying that you can't read anything if you don't learn our language.

However, Cale had Raon.

– Human, information about the Vatican is three shelves down from where you are.

Cale slowly looked through random books until he got there.
Flip. Flip.

Raon's clear voice echoed in his mind.

– There is a palace that was created when the Vatican was being built.

Cale covered his mouth with the book as he quietly started to speak.

"Tell me more."

Cale opened the book.

– There is no information about the burning of a palace since the Vatican was built. However, there is only one palace that was built during that time.

They had not seen any area that showed any signs of having been burnt in the past.

– A garden was created next to that palace.

A palace and a garden that was built as the Vatican was created.

– They are called the, 'Sun Palace,' and the, 'Sun Garden.' The names were said to have been created by the Imperial Prince and the Pope.

Flip. Flip.
Cale quickly turned the pages. Of course, Raon quickly read through the information. Raon started to speak to Cale, who had been turning the pages for three hours.

– The early information is all the useful information that is in the book.

Plop.
Cale closed the book. He then started to speak to Choi Han.

"Let's go."

There was no need to read anymore.

The Sun Palace.
Cale knew where the Sun Palace was.
He also knew the famous Sun Garden next to it.

That was the location of the end of year celebration.

Cale headed out of the library and started to walk. He could soon see the fancy palace and the just-as-beautiful garden next to it.

They shined like the sun.
Once he got closer to the two locations…

Boom! Boom! Boom!
His heart was beating wildly.
And his fingers became itchy.

An invisible wind rustled by Cale's side.

* * *

The last day of the investigation.
Alberu spoke to Cale before getting off of the carriage.

"See you at the celebration afterward."

Alberu was planning on acting like a proper crown prince as he walked around the building with the Empire's administrators in order to give Cale the opening to go into the eastern Annex.
The number of administrators watching them was cut in half. However, they were no longer allowed to investigate the rear garden of the tower with the spire.
"Ah."

Alberu suddenly seemed to have realized something.

"A sword master is supposedly coming to the celebration."
"The Empire's sword master?"
"Yes."

Sword master.
There was one sword master in the Empire, one in the Caro Kingdom, and one in the North.

That was what was known to the public.

"Mm."

Cale started to frown. Alberu seemed to understand what was on Cale's mind as he started to speak.

"You shouldn't need to worry. The Empire probably plans on showing off their might by having the sword master show up to the celebration. He is showing up tomorrow in order to immediately take part in it. We don't need to pay any attention."

The existence of a sword master raised a nation's status and increased the morale of the knights.
The highest level of the sword.
There was a lot of meaning in reaching that level.
That was why Alberu started to speak while looking at Cale's stiff expression that seemed to be worrying about the Roan Kingdom that did not have any sword masters.

"Although they are our enemy, there is no need to be afraid of them right now."
"Your highness."
"Yes?"
"Choi Han is a sword master. Do you think that they would be able to tell each other's levels if he goes to the celebration?"

Alberu's mind blanked out for a moment. Cale then added on.

"Umm, Vice Captain Hilsman is also a highest-grade knight. That should be okay, right?"

Cale felt disappointed at Alberu's blank expression. It looked like only he and Raon would be able to look for the divine item in the Sun Palace.

'Should I take Eruhaben-nim? I need to tell Raon to hide his presence as well.'

Cale looked toward the crown prince.
Alberu said just one thing.

"…Ho." ((PR: Oh if only he knew Cale's party's full strength…) )

Cale called out to Alberu after hearing that.

"Your highness?"

Alberu finally started to speak after a while.

"Crazy bastard."

Those words were naturally directed at Cale.
He then took a magic bag out of his pocket and almost threw it at Cale.

"Loot it all."

Cale started to smile as he put the magic bag away.

A moment later at the Vatican's eastern Annex.

"This is also a library."

Cale reached his hand out toward the library door.

"I leave it to you, young master-nim."

The high-grade Dark Elf mage spoke as Cale opened the library door.
The secret room was in here.
And the secret table was within that room.

The treasure was there.

Screeeech-
The library door opened.
He heard the voice at that moment.

– Are you trying to sacrifice yourself?

'What?'

It was the Scary Giant Cobblestone.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]