The Adventures of an Overpowered Knight in Another World-Chapter 577- The Identity of the Invader (2)
Jerrelβs jaw tightened. He reached for a sealed dossier and slid it across the table. π³πΏππππ²ππ»ππππ₯.ππ π
"Hm?"
When Reinhardtβs eyes landed on the report, and he read the contents, he couldnβt help but frown.
The report detailed a large scale military incursion into one of Runeβs western cities, mass casualties, disappearances, unexplained troop movements, and signs of elite covert forces.
The date was one year ago. Yet there was no record of follow up. No official response or investigation into the matter.
"The report was buried," Jerrel explained with an annoyed tone. "The chamberlain responsible for archiving this report hid it deliberately. After I ascended the throne, I uncovered that he was a foreign spy, embedded in the palace"...
"He had similarly hidden several sensitive military intelligence from reaching the kingβs desk."
"So they exploited the instability of the throne and Runeβs vulnerability to get what they wanted," Reinhardt spoke, quickly seeing through the matter.
Jerrel could only smile bitterly and nod.
"Thatβs right. They knew that the previous king had lost his grip after he lost his son. They used this gap when Runeβs power and attention were fragmented to launch their mission. Whatβs more, they knew their spy would erase all traces; as such, they had nothing to fear."
To make a direct military incursion on another nation would raise loathing from the Seven Kingdoms and break several of the laws.
However, if the attacked nation was too occupied with its own power struggle and the report never made it to the royal desk, it would mean that the military incursion never happened.
Reinhardt narrowed his eyes. The enemy cleverly invaded Rune and got whatever their objective was.
"To think, an enemy nationβs spy rose all the way to chamberlain. There is no way to tell how many state secrets were sold, cities compromised, and lives traded for gold and favors."
Jerrel sighed bitterly, blaming himself. Had he known about the ambitions of the previous king and the corrupted high ranking officials, he wouldnβt have hesitated to become king back then.
Perhaps then he could have stopped the enemy from taking away the High Elf.
"Whatβs done is done. The Kingdom of Rune is secured under your leadership. What we should do right now is dig out everything we know about that snitch, anything that could lead us to where she is right now."
Reinhardt patted Jerrel on the shoulder.
"Iβm already on it. My subordinates are digging everything about that chamberlain. It wonβt be long."
Just as he said those words, the door to the library burst open, and a subordinate rushed inside huffing and puffing.
The latter dropped to one knee before Jerrel, clutching several thick parchments and sealed letters.
After taking a moment to steady his ragged breath, the subordinate reported.
"Y-Your Majesty, as ordered, I investigated the former chamberlainβs private records. I uncovered extensive evidence of his corruption."
At those words, Jerrelβs eyes sharpened.
"Speak."
The subordinate nodded and presented his findings.
"Illegal trade routes, narcotics distribution, kidnappings, artificial scarcity of food and mana crystals to manipulate prices. Widespread bribery. He controlled several underground syndicates and smuggling rings"...
"Entire towns and villages were quietly drained dry of resources under his directives."
The more corruption the subordinate revealed about the chamberlain, the more suffocating the atmosphere became.
The royal advisors of Jerrel couldnβt hide their expressions of revulsion. There was no vile thing the chamberlain hadnβt delved his hands into. He was so corrupted that he hadnβt merely betrayed the kingdom.
He had rotted it from the inside.
While everyone around him was disgruntled by the actions of the chamberlain, Jerrel, however, remained eerily calm.
He skimmed through the parchments with detached efficiency.
"Donβt lose your bearings. He is already dead. Although we canβt undo his numerous wrongdoings, we can make sure nothing of this sort happens again in Rune and compensate the bereaved."
After saying that, Jerrel put down the documents, his attention shifting towards the stack of sealed letters.
"These are..." He picked up the letters and started reading them one by one.
Finally, unable to maintain his composure any longer, he broke down cursing.
"Damn that bastard, how could he fall this low?"
He slammed the desk, trying to rein in his anger.
His behavior caused everyone to be surprised. Jerrel, who had maintained his cold composure all this time, to suddenly break down like this.
What was written in the letters?
Jerrel forcefully calmed himself and passed the letters to Reinhardt with a grim face.
"As we feared, that person is involved."
A shadow crept across Reinhardtβs face as he took the letters and started reading them one by one.
Each letter bore the same recipient and was a back and forth correspondence. It detailed conversations of their covert operations conducted across Rune.
The mysterious raids, unexplained disappearances, sudden economic collapses in key regions, the quiet transfer of elite military units to a different location, and the transport of special captives.
The letters detailed everything.
The worst case scenario that Reinhardt wanted to avoid came true. From these letters, the identity of the person, or rather the entity behind all of this, became clear.
The attack on the city where Cecilia and Lirae were was no mere coincidence; it was orchestrated.
A coordinated military strike, elite operatives capable of bringing down a city, remove all clues and loose ends, create false evidence, and retreat orderly all within a couple of hours, no unknown faction could do it that efficiently.
At the very least, the level of strength required to achieve this was comparable to the Seven Great Knight Orders of Solaris.
Even Reinhardt wore an unusually grave face.
If this truly traced back to that nation, then the situation had just crossed from covert crime into geopolitical warfare.
No one spoke.
They all looked at their two leaders.
The weight of the moment pressed down on everyone present. Though curiosity gnawed at them, none dared ask what exactly the letters contained. They understood the gravity of silence and that some truths were better left untold.
Jerrel regained his composure and spoke in a voice that contained restrained fury.
"It seems those people have grown quite arrogant. To think that they can trample all over my Rune without consequence. Even if my Kingdom of Rune is a small nation, we wonβt bow down to might."
Saying that, he glanced at Reinhardt with a bitter smile.
"Although I wanted to help you to repay my debts, the involvement of that man pushes this matter far beyond my authority alone. But donβt worry, I still possess the proof. These documents are justification enough"...
"If I bring this before the Seven Kingdoms Council, they will be forced to answer. Publicly."
Reinhardt, lost in his own thoughts, nodded in silence. He didnβt blame Jerrel for backing down. He could tell that the other party was doing everything to help him.
Itβs just that the identity of the man involved, or rather the entity behind that man, was just too powerful for the Kingdom of Rune to face.
"Iβll leave this matter to you. I will also contact Her Majesty in Solaris and request the immediate convening of the Seven Kingdoms Council."
"Good."
A while later, the discussion was over, and Reinhardt and his entourage exited the royal library.
.
.
Outside, the golden light of the afternoon sun painted everything in a mesmerizing hue of orange.
The view was beautiful, but the four people walking out of the palace had no state of mind to enjoy it.
Finally, unable to endure the suffocating silence that had wrapped itself around Reinhardt like a second skin, Zerina cautiously spoke.
"Commander, whatβs going on? What was written in those letters? Why does finding Cecilia require convening the Seven Kingdoms Council?"
Elina and Lirae instinctively slowed their steps, listening closely.
Reinhardt glanced back at his subordinates.
At this moment, their faces were a mix of concern and curiosity. They were filled with questions they dared not ask. It appeared that he unconsciously let his emotions bleed into the atmosphere, thus making all of them worried.
Reinhardtβs expression softened, and the solemn atmosphere disappeared from his body.
"Alright, Iβll explain."
Saying that, he resumed walking towards their accommodation.
"The letters detailed the chamberlainβs actions. He wasnβt merely selling information, he was coordinating mass abductions across Rune. Entire villages, remote districts, and frontier towns were emptied. People disappeared in the dead of night. Humans, demi-humans, it mattered not"...
"All of them were bound, shoved into caravans, and dragged towards a place. All of this matter was cleverly buried by the chamberlain, and the people of Rune remained unaware of it."
The three looked surprised.
After hearing about the many acts of corruption of the chamberlain, they didnβt think that they would be surprised by anything else, yet here they were, surprised at the manβs even more vile actions.
Elina seemed to have connected the dots and quickly asked, "Then Cecilia..."
Reinahrdt nodded, "Yeah, she was most probably dragged back along with those people".
