In A World Full of Silence, My Heart Will Find Its Way To You - Chapter 31

The fortress where the imperial palace guards stay. The rain that had been falling for several days stopped, and the bright sunlight shone down on the morning.

Eric, who woke up early, was lost in thought as he gazed at the imperial crest fluttering in various places around the castle walls.

How long has it been since I came here and woke up on my own like this?

The sharp pain clearly left on my back constantly gnawed at my flesh, preventing me from sleeping properly.

Since Aria treated him, Eric’s body had become much lighter. Eric’s mind was once again filled with thoughts of her.

“At this point, it’s a disease.”

A short complaint slipped out from the heavily closed lips.

Eric’s gaze, which had barely been torn away from the window, soon settled on my wrist.

He lightly adjusted the cuff button that he hadn’t fastened yet, and his lips curled slightly.

“Am I naive, or am I just a fool?”

On the day he was leaving for the palace, Eric chuckled as he recalled Aria fastening his cuff buttons.

He was used to locking his uniform by himself. I didn’t expect him to help so willingly when I asked him to lock it for me.

Did she know? That Eric kept swallowing dryly at the scent that brushed against his nose.

The moment I looked down at Aria, who was seeing me off.

Eric almost got off the horse as it was. I was afraid of missing her endlessly. I just wanted to stay by Aria’s side, wherever my feet took me.

Eric, recalling that scene, muttered to himself.

“How many days has it been for you to act like this…?

“What are you mumbling about all by yourself?

Hearing footsteps behind him, Eric turned his head slightly.

Henry Somerset was standing there, having entered at some unknown time.

Maybe because I was exposed to the wind for a long time, my curly brown hair was wildly blowing today.

He was just blinking his eyes, whether he knew it or not.

“I’ve never seen you up this early before. Did you receive some treatment at the Bailey household? Or have you recovered from your long-awaited rest If not that…….”

“Or else?

When Eric glanced down, Henry involuntarily flinched.

Was it because of that maid back then? I quickly closed my mouth to stop myself from asking that question.

“Oh, no. I just made various guesses.

“It’s bland. By the way, did you bring what we talked about yesterday?

As Eric sat down, Henry spread out the documents on the table.

“This is the budget spent on the Imperial Guard for this month. More than double the usual amount was spent.

“You did well figuring it out.”

“No, it’s not. Actually… I had a bit of trouble getting the detailed information. As expected, the captain’s vigilance was strict. It took half a day just to get the approval.”

Henry, lowering his voice, slightly furrowed his brow.

“To think that they would only approve if it were by the King’s command. It’s quite suspicious. Why didn’t I notice this all along…How did you find out, sir?

Just in case, Henry asked, but soon fell silent. As expected, it was a boss who wouldn’t give an answer. I had no choice but to stare at my shoes on the floor.

Eric stared at the financial documents without a moment to spare for the distraught Henry.

While pushing aside the endlessly piled-up documents with my hands, suddenly one document caught my eye.

I had a feeling that something was off.  He began to unfold and compare the documents he had set aside.

Soon, an unclear hole passed through Eric’s mind.  His gaze stopped at the seal of the person who had approved the hole.

“It seems we were connected like this.”

Henry quickly looked up at Eric’s words.

“Well, do you have anything figured out?

“First, roughly. Since we know the mastermind, it should be easy to handle the situation.

“Are you referring to the background…?

Eric’s enigmatic expression was enough to pique curiosity.

Henry kept wanting to ask, but he felt like he was just prying into his boss’s thoughts for no reason, so he couldn’t bring himself to ask anymore.

But I didn’t worry too much. Anyway, you’ll find out soon enough.

He hurriedly brought up another topic.

“The matter you asked me to look into last time. I looked into the Reynolds family, and it truly is an extraordinary family.

“A strange family, you say?

It was a family that thrived through trade with the five subordinate kingdoms. Back in the time of the late emperor, But suddenly, the family fell overnight because they violated the national law.”

“A fallen family…”

Did the family fall into ruin, causing all the household members and servants to scatter?

Eric’s brief thoughts were reaching that far.

As Eric’s eyes sparkled, Henry’s already excited voice grew even louder.

“By the way. The stranger thing is the very strange power that family possesses.

“Strength? What kind of power are you talking about?

It was at that moment when Henry was speaking with emphasis. The sound of someone knocking roughly from outside began to be heard.

Before Eric could even respond, the owner of the voice barged in through the door.

The commander of the imperial guard with a face flushed bright red was Oliver Marlborough.

The face, which bore the marks of time with wrinkles all over, had eyes that were filled with a venomous glare.

“When you return to the Imperial Guard, shouldn’t it be customary to greet me first? Don’t you know how to treat a superior?

“Please forgive me. I didn’t think of it.

Eric hurriedly stood up and bowed his head.  Seeing him like that, Oliver clicked his tongue.

Am I foolish? Or is it arrogance?  How did this clueless fool become the commander of the imperial guard? Seriously!  It seems that His Majesty the Emperor has lost his judgment.”

Oliver gritted his teeth as he recalled Emperor Carlos, who had mocked him.

What good is it to have someone who ran away from the palace, acted recklessly, and then came back as if nothing happened?

With a disapproving glare at Eric, Oliver’s eyes fell on the documents laid out on the table.

Familiar documents.  It was the financial documents of the Imperial Guard.

Oliver, walking with angry strides and stomping on the floor, suddenly grabbed the document.

“Why is this document in your hands?  It is a document approved for release by His Majesty the Emperor.  Could it be that His Majesty ordered you to monitor the Imperial Guard?  Surely, Your Majesty did not order you to monitor the Imperial Guard!”

“Would I ever do that?  I can’t abandon the Imperial Guard with my own hands.

“You’re well aware of that.  Then?

“I was just about to handle the matter myself.  Before Your Majesty gave such orders.

“Handling work?

“I’m just cleaning up after the mess my boss made.”

“Handling…?”

Oliver, standing there with a blank expression for a moment, burst into laughter in disbelief.

He, who had been laughing alone, soon had a face devoid of laughter and looked up.

“Are you threatening me right now?

“It’s not a threat, I’m asking for your cooperation, Captain.”

At Eric’s calm tone, Oliver’s gaze grew even colder.

“If this matter escalates, it won’t be good for you either.”

“Of course. We can’t disrupt the peace of the palace that has returned after such a long time. What do you think? Isn’t it quite a fair deal? As long as you don’t touch me, I will also be loyal to you.

As Eric’s lips curled into a sly smile while looking at him, Oliver’s face turned even redder than before.

I never thought the document he tampered with right after he left would be caught so easily. Cunning and deceitful bastard.

I thought the real power of the Imperial Guard had finally become myself.

I couldn’t help but be annoyed by the guy who was standing on top of my head, relying solely on the emperor’s backing.

But there was no benefit in messing with that guy right now. The card he held was enough to choke me.

Oliver placed the document on the table into his arms.

“Alright. For the time being, let’s refrain from mentioning your story to His Majesty the Emperor. However, that is only until a suitable successor appears. If someone more suitable comes along, then I won’t have any choice either.

Oliver glared fiercely at Eric, then turned his head and walked outside.

Henry, who had been quietly watching the two, finally took a breath when the door closed.

Phew. It was like walking on thin ice. It feels like invisible blades are flying around.  What on earth is in that document that the commander of the imperial guard is acting like that?

“The seal of the one who tried to use him to seize power was engraved on it.”

“A seal? Whose seal are you talking about?

“Yes…? Are you referring to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager? I thought you were being quiet, but when did you team up with that vile captain again…?

Henry, with his eyes wide open, shook his head. Eric gave a bitter smile in response.

The seal he saw. It was none other than the Empress Dowager’s seal. The late emperor’s and Emperor Carlos’s mother, as well as an ambitious person.

The empress dowager didn’t particularly like Carlos, who often had different opinions from hers.

After Carlos ascended to the throne, she had to step down from her influential position in the palace.

Was that why? The empress dowager seemed to be joining forces with Oliver, aiming to regain her position at the center of power.

“The collusion of two old foxes…”

Eric’s eyes narrowed slightly. He, momentarily lost in thought, soon crossed his arms and lifted his head as if trying to shake off his thoughts.

“Let’s finish talking about Reynolds from earlier. So what is that power?

Henry rolled his eyes around for a moment, then spoke as if he had just remembered something.

“Oh, they say that the holy water passed down through generations in that family can heal the sick in an instant.  Of course, it seems that there is a price to pay if it is used on someone other than oneself.

“Price?”

“Maybe it’s like taking a hit to your own body.  It’s a kind of magic.  I heard that even the healing magic done by wizards has something like that…

Henry furrowed his brow slightly, as if he couldn’t remember.

Holy water and its corresponding price.  Eric, who had been listening to those words indifferently, suddenly had a strange look in his eyes.

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