The Kingmaker System
Chapter 166 - 165. Bigger Game (1)

Chapter 166: 165. Bigger Game (1)

"This situation has been strained as it is," Grand Duchess Dahlia said.

"My son is in the battlefield and I cannot do anything about it, we had just been reunited after so long but now he..."

She clenched her fists together and I could understand her frustration but at this moment I couldn’t provide any words of reassurance for her. The war was inevitable and the outcome of this war was also inevitable.

"It’s the first time that there was an attack inside the kingdom after Frosthail’s walls were closed." I prompted and she looked at me.

"Is that also the reason why you are out here personally, Your Grace?" I asked and her eyes strained.

"Yes, there has been an unrest amongst the rogues in Frosthail..." She said.

"Alarice and I had stayed away from the war since the order was only for one person to go and... Davian volunteered despite our refusals. It seems like he wants to prove himself..." She sighed.

"I would say that he wants to grow stronger, Your Grace. Young Master doesn’t need to prove himself to anyone, all he has to do is build his own strength."

She stared at me for a moment before she averted her eyes staring off in the distance.

"That might also be the case but, after he left we thought we might have to spend our days waiting for him but this new problem arose and now I’m here."

"Can you explain in detail, Your Grace?" I asked and she nodded.

"At the beginning of Winter, I and Alarice as usual led expeditions to control the number of the rogues that spawned the areas but oddly, they were lesser than what we were expecting."

"Lesser?"

"Yes, but they were more agressive and didn’t shy away from any fights, they attacked villages and hunted people regardless. Usually, these rogues were like the beasts who used animal instincts but as of now, they were more like brainless monsters who were only attacking people around them."

"It was hard to make sense of it, but these beasts were driven more towards devouring whatever living thing that they came across, moreover, their favorite prey was humans."

I nodded slowly as her words settled in as I steepled my fingers in front of my lips and she continued.

"Alarice and I were investigating about this sudden change in their behaviour when we suddenly got this anonymous tip about the strange things that were happening in the towns that were at the fringes of Frosthail. People getting kidnapped in large numbers without a trace and especially during night time. It was suspicious, Alarice saw the connection between the two incidents and told me to come investigate while he looked after the things inside Frosthail."

"We suspect that some of the nobles from inside Frosthail and outside of it are smuggling the rogues. I don’t know if their motive is to target us or someone else but, it needs to be stopped."

I observed Grand Duchess carefully as she explained everything to me, she was frustrated but her aura was also spiking and clashing against my mana.

"At this point, the only person whom I find suspicious enough is the Baron who manages the territory of Albagard."

Albagard was the small territory which was practically the last piece of land which connected Frosthail to the kingdom. Speaking in terms of economy then, it wasn’t quite a valuable town but politically it held more value since the Magic Gate that connected Frosthail and the kingdom was located in Albagard.

The traveller who would travel from anywhere would have go through the Magic Gate and end up inside Frosthail’s walls which was basically at the border of Albagard.

So, if the angle of smuggling of the rogues was brought to light then Albagard’s Lord was the one who would be the first suspect.

"It’s impossible for the Lord to not be aware of it, he must be allied with someone within the walls who planned all of this." She explained.

It was natural for her to think that and currently, all the nobles within the territory who were formulating a theory behind the attack were also bringing up the name of this particular Lord as a suspect.

The Baron who was governing that land was also the one who was assigned the work of looking after the condition of the Magic Gate and keeping a record of those who used the Gate.

So, it would be impossible for him to not know if there was an illegal trade of the beasts from North into the capital.

But what if that person was used as a mere pawn in this big game?

"Why aren’t you saying anything, Master Ocean?" Grand Duchess asked as I wasn’t speaking even after she had finished her long explanation.

I focused my eyes back on her and released a deep sigh, "You suspect Baron Oberon who looks after the Albagard and is responsible for checking the Magic Gate and the travellers, right?"

"Yes."

I hummed, "There are multiple who are putting you in the list of suspects as well."

"But we’re not!"

"Baron Oberon isn’t too, he’s being framed." I stated making her eyes go wide.

"What?"

"The real culprit is someone else, I am yet to find out what their motive behind it is but as of now, I can tell with assurance that Baron Oberon is innocent."

Lady Dahlia didn’t seem like she was able to digest that but she swallowed her suspicion and asked me.

"Then, do you know who it is?"

I smiled, "I’ll let you know after I’ve found a solid evidence against them."

"Who is it?" She demanded.

"I apologise but I’m not obliged to tell you, Your Grace."

Her aura blazed even more at my words charged the air around her as her green eyes glowed like embers.

"This matter affects me and Frosthail directly, Master Ocean. I’ve come all the way here to find out who’s doing this and you cannot withhold that bastard’s name!"

"I can," I spoke unfazed by her outburst as I placed my one leg over other while leaning back crossing my arms at my chest.

She clenched her teeth and I could see her anger fueiling her ferocious aura that was making the air around us tremble and grow thicker.

"Because the reason why you’re here is me," I announced making her frown.

"What do you mean?"

"That anonymous tip, it was sent to you on my order. I wanted someone from Frosthail to come, but I also didn’t want to leak more information so, I just waited to see who would come. I was surprised to see the Grand Duchess to come herself, and to be honest, I only expected Sir Adler to be here."

I shrugged my shoulders as her expression along with the expressions of those behind her to shift from frustration to shock.

"What?"

"I said I know of the whereabouts of Young Master Davian even when he’s on the battlefield but I never said that I wasn’t paying attention to Frosthail. I know everything that has been going on inside the walls which is why I had you come down here."

Lady Dahlia seemed at loss for words as she kept staring at me with wide eyes, her fiery aura was dissolved into the air leaving only the dominance of my charged up mana.

"And since I’m the one who’s summoned you here so, I guess I have the right to decide what I tell you and what not." I smirked darkly and I could see her shiver ever so slightly.

"I know you will need some time to make sense of what I just said, but please keep this one thing in mind," I said making her eyes focus on me.

"I won’t let any innocent person become a scapegoat just for the gain of a greedy bastard."

Grand Duchess wasn’t quite satisfied after talking to me and her frown made it obvious, but I wasn’t just going to explain her everything of what I was doing.

I liked keeping my cards hidden until I had the time when they were supposed to be displayed. As of now, the matter of concern was something else.

"I shall leave for now, you all should rest for a while since you’re here." I smiled as I rose to my foot and looked at Remi.

"Remi, take care of the guests."

"Yes, Master!" He bowed politely.

"Roan, let’s go." I said making the said man to follow after me.

I left the parlor room and made my way towards the study.

"Are you sure you have only one brain inside that head of yours, Master?" Roan asked making me laugh.

"Take a guess, how many brains do you think I have?"

"Five? No, at least ten." He said, "Because no, normal human is capable of this much."

I laughed at his guess and shook my head, "I’ll take that as a compliment."

"Wait, you’re not a human, right?" He spoke up and I smirked at him.

"Whatever I am, you’re still safe to be on my side, Roan. So, don’t think too much and just do as I say."

He looked at me before he gulped and then turned away, "Su-Sure, Master."

We returned to my study and Roan ended up asking a query which I myself had.

"Why was the Grand Duchess calling you Master though? Isn’t that what we all as your subordinates call you?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "I don’t know, but if she wants to address me as a Master then I can’t say no."

Roan gave me a look which made me laugh before I picked up the communication device to contact an important ally.