Chapter 39: 39:It’s The Temple

The morning sun cast its light over the ruined town, illuminating dust-filled air as people worked tirelessly to clear debris. The orphanage walls, once proud, now lay cracked and broken as workers tried to mend them.

An old man, his face lined with age, approached the woman in charge.

"Director Meira, will we be alright?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.

Meira paused, her eyes clouded with deep thought. The words of a certain man echoed in her mind.

Words filled with unshakable confidence.

[Miss Meira, don’t be afraid. I will resolve this. Just wait for the funds.]

Remembering this she smiled,"We will be."

"Believe in the benevolence of The Lord."

.......

A carriage rattled down the street, filled with ragged injured men who had been treated with local doctors and low level healers.

A man sat comfortably inside, flipping through a newspaper. His sharp eyes scanned the headlines with growing amusement.

[The City Lord of Gory Town has been killed. Numerous illegal gambling dens, brothels, and casinos were attacked and burned down overnight. Most of the leaders were brutally executed.]

The man lowered the newspaper and let out a low chuckle before slamming his hand on his thigh.

"This is some good shit..." Kael muttered with a smirk.

The moment his voice rang out, Barry instinctively reached for his sword, and Gare and Chris tensed, ready to fight.

"Relax, you idiots. We’re fine." Kael stretched lazily, his tone casual. "Right?"

The three exchanged looks. Barry, battered and bruised, stared at his broken body. Gare, whose arm had been stitched back together with barely any effort, hesitated. Chris, however, scoffed.

"Then why did you react like that!" Chris spat, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I was just excited reading this," Kael nodded, satisfied.

"My Lord! We can’t relax. Someone set us up by killing the City Lord’s son, and we don’t have a clue!" Barry said, his expression dark.

Kael almost burst out laughing at being called "My Lord." From being a young master to a lord—what a ridiculous journey. He held back his smirk and folded his arms, pretending to be deep in thought.

"This is serious," he said, smiling, though his eyes gleamed with something sharp.

Kael had only one name in mind.

Adele.

The thought of her didn’t scare him—it annoyed him. If she wanted him dead, why play games instead of killing him outright? The only reason he could think of was a stupid assassin rule about not touching noble children.

It was funny. He didn’t see Adele as a threat. When he got strong enough, he’d rip her apart, break her arms, yank out her teeth, and make her beg him for mercy. But that damn monocle-wearing woman?

She felt mysterious and troublesome

His fingers instinctively brushed his left eye, remembering the monocle he once wore in another life.

"Whatever. I’ll deal with them when I can take on B- and A-ranks," he muttered.

Just as Kael settled into his thoughts, the carriage jolted hard, nearly throwing him forward.

"What the hell?!" he barked, slamming his fist against the side.

Baret, despite his exhaustion, forced himself outside to check. A second later, his startled voice rang out.

"My Lord... you need to see this."

Kael groaned, stepping out with a glare. "What the hell is so—" His words froze in his throat.

The plaza was filled with knights, their polished armor gleaming in the sunlight. A man on a white horse sat in the center, his gaze locked onto Kael like a predator eyeing prey. The suffocating pressure made the air heavy.

Kael blinked, then slowly turned to Baret. His voice, full of disbelief and sheer irritation, erupted.

"What the fuck is the Grand Duke doing here?!"

The streets were lined with people, their excited whispers filling the air. As the Grand Duke rode past, they bowed deeply, their voices filled with admiration.

"Ah, the Grand Duke! He hasn’t aged a day!"

"Look at his majestic presence! Truly, a ruler blessed by the heavens!"

"Such grace, such power! He is the true pride of the empire!"

Kael’s lips twitched as he listened to their endless praise.

"Damn! Do they have no eyes? A sexy, handsome youth is standing right here, yet they’re all focused on some old man!"

"Cheee!" He spat in disgust, making Baret flinch in surprise. The older men opened his mouth to scold him when a cold voice cut through the chatter.

"You really have a habit of causing a huge mess."

The entire plaza fell silent. Every head turned toward Kael.

Kael, standing in the center, had just been about to flash a dazzling smile to charm the beauties in the crowd when—

"Who is this?"

"I don’t know."

"Never seen him before."

"But... he looks kind of similar to the Duke."

"Maybe he’s a distant relative?"

Kael’s smile cracked. His jaw clenched, and thick veins bulged on his forehead. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he strode forward, his steps confident.

His voice rang out loud and clear.

"My Lord! I have completed the task you assigned to me!"

"Task?"

The crowd murmured in curiosity.

Even Ruth, the Grand Duke, arched a brow, clearly confused.

Kael didn’t give him time to speak. He spread his arms dramatically and declared,

"I, Kael Veydrin, the son of the Lion of Veydrin, have returned victorious! I have purged the vermin and maggots who have been leeching off the Duchy’s wealth—criminals who stuffed their pockets while our people suffered!"

Ruth’s expression turned from curiosity to cold indifference. His sharp gaze bore into Kael as if asking, What nonsense are you spouting?

But Kael wasn’t about to back down. No, this was a great opportunity. A very big opportunity to show off. And he wouldn’t let it go to waste.

With a dramatic flourish, he pulled out stacks of papers from his coat and ran toward Ruth. Dropping to one knee, he held them out like a prized treasure.

"My Lord! These are official documents containing proof of the crimes committed by the City Lord of Gory! Instead of funding the orphanages and city projects, he used Duchy money to build illegal gambling dens, brothels, and corrupt enterprises!"

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

"Impossible!"

"The City Lord? A thief?"

"So that’s why the orphanage was in ruins..."

Kael’s voice rose even higher. "And he is not the only one! There is a much bigger force behind all this corruption!"

Ruth’s eyes gleamed with sharp interest. His voice was calm but carried undeniable authority.

"Who is this big force?"

Kael felt a wicked grin creeping onto his lips, but he forced himself to remain composed. Instead, he shook his head solemnly.

"Sorry, My Lord. I can’t answer that. It will cause public unrest. This is too big for us to handle."

The tension in the plaza grew thick.

"Too big...?" Ruth muttered with a pause feeling his ego pricked.

Then he released his aura.

A powerful pressure exploded from him, shaking the very ground beneath them. Dust swirled, buildings trembled, and people staggered as if a storm had descended upon the plaza.

"Too big even for me?" Ruth’s voice boomed.

"Did you forget who I am?"

Each word sent shockwaves through the air. The people felt it in their bones, their admiration for the Grand Duke reaching a fever pitch.

Kael didn’t flinch. Instead, he bowed his head respectfully.

"That!"

Ruth’s expression darkened.

"Kael Veydrin... On the authority of the Grand Duke of the Empire of Heinz, I order you to reveal this so-called ’big force.’"

Kael’s body trembled. Not with fear, but with excitement.

’Gotch!’

His eyes burned with madness as he threw his head back and screamed—

"IT’S THE TEMPLE!"

For a second, silence.

Then—

"Huh!?"

The plaza erupted with gasps, shouts, and cries of disbelief filled the air.