Chapter 48

"Master, the Fourth Prince is here."

"Brother!?"

The next afternoon, while I was reading in the inner garden, I was surprised by the visitor Cecily, the reception maid, announced.

"Yes."

"Show him in."

Cecily bowed and left the room.

After a while, my brother Henry, whom I hadn't seen in a long time, entered the room.

I stood up and gave him a light bow.

"It's been a while, Brother. What brings you here so suddenly?"

"I'm here on business—by imperial command."

I was even more surprised and reflexively knelt on the spot.

Imperial command—meaning an imperial decree.

"I've heard that a new, suitable water for direct drinking has been discovered in Syria. The decree states: 'Order Prince Henry, the Minister of the Imperial Palace, to supervise the transportation of the water to the summer retreat.'"

I looked up, and Brother Henry was smiling.

"Prepare the water."

"Understood."

I called a maid and asked her to pass the message to Don, who was in the study in the outer garden.

The water the Emperor referred to must be the special water.

I ordered twelve barrels to be prepared for transportation.

Since it wouldn't be ready immediately, I turned to my brother.

"I'll have it prepared. Please wait a moment."

"Very well."

He said and sat down opposite me.

"Surprised?"

"No. Transporting water isn't unusual. The palace always transports water from the Beryl Spring for tea and keeps it in stock."

"True. The water from the Beryl Spring. It's said to be the best water for tea in the empire. It's so valuable that it's only used for the Emperor's consumption and as a reward for ministers. It seems it will be treated the same way. That's quite an honor, Noah."

I was amazed at how quickly the Emperor had heard about the special water.

It hadn't been long since the special water was discovered.

Yet, he had already heard about it.

The Emperor's information network is truly terrifying.

Of course, I couldn't say that.

"It has few impurities, so I think it will be ideal for the Emperor's convalescence."

"Yes, the Emperor needs to recover quickly."

"By the way, there's one more thing."

"One more thing?"

"Apparently, I'm allowed to read it myself."

Brother Henry took out a decree from his pocket and handed it to me.

I opened the decree and read it from the beginning.

It was a commendation and reward.

As a reward for this matter, the Emperor had granted a barony to my son—my firstborn, who hasn't even been conceived yet.

The Emperor's sons are born princes, but princes' sons are not automatically granted titles.

The Emperor had granted a barony before the child was even born.

"What a great honor."

"Quite a story, Noah. A title for a royal child before birth... It's been decades, hasn't it?"

"About that long."

I searched my memory but couldn't find a similar case.

"The water system in Almeria is well-developed. It's at a level that doesn't require much improvement. Yet, you've made significant reforms within half a year of taking over your fief."

"I plan to do the same everywhere."

"Really!?"

My brother's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes, it will be better for the people's health and make water system maintenance easier. Every year, some people die during maintenance. I want to prevent that."

"You always care about people."

"It's in my nature."

"Indeed."

The door creaked open, and Audrey entered the room with several maids.

Audrey approached Brother Henry and bowed according to the etiquette for noblewomen.

"It's been a while, Brother-in-law."

"Ah."

Brother Henry simply nodded.

His response was so simple that it almost seemed cold.

The inner garden of a prince is managed similarly to a harem, even if not to the same extent as the Emperor's.

Even though he is my brother-in-law, he is still a man other than my husband.

It's common knowledge among the royal family that he should not speak more than necessary.

"You look well."

Brother Henry said to me.

In such situations, it's customary to speak through me.

"And... your wife seems to be doing well."

Brother Henry said with a satisfied look.

Audrey received various items from the maids.

Tea set, tea leaves, and hot water.

The maids handed the items to Audrey, who prepared the tea and served it to me and my brother.

This was a task that couldn't be left to the maids.

Audrey performed it diligently, and Brother Henry seemed satisfied.

"Here you are."

Audrey handed me the tea, and I took a sip.

"Excellent."

Brother Henry said, still looking at me.

"You're both young, yet you're doing a great job."

He seemed very satisfied.

☆

After Brother Henry left, I headed to the study in the outer garden.

I thought it would be best to decide on the transportation arrangements in advance, in case the Emperor liked the water and wanted it delivered regularly.

When I arrived at the study, Don came out from the other side of the door.

"Oh! Master Noah. I was just about to call for you."

"What's wrong? ...Did something happen?"

Don seemed flustered.

"Please, come in."

I nodded and entered the study.

A young boy was kneeling inside.

The boy, with a tear-streaked face, looked at me and bowed his head to the floor.

"Prince! Please, help my father!"

"...What do you mean?"

"It's like this."

After closing the door, Don handed me something from the side.

It was the box.

The box I had distributed to various people for reporting.

Don handed me a box that was not opened but had a large dent on the top, as if it had been hit with a hammer.

"This is... Lawrence's, right?"

"Do you recognize it?"

"Yes."

The box contained a part of Fwawa's power.

From it, I could immediately tell whose it was.

"You mentioned your father. Are you Lawrence's son?"

"Yes! My name is Linus."

"What happened to Lawrence?"

"Prince Pascal accused him of a crime he didn't commit and had him imprisoned!"

"...What do you mean?"

I could feel my eyebrows knitting together.

I listened to Linus's story with a clear sense of discomfort.

After the previous incident, Pascal had become increasingly harsh towards Lawrence.

"How did you ingratiate yourself with the prince?"

He often said this, clearly displeased that I favored Lawrence.

A few days ago, he finally accused Lawrence of a crime he didn't commit and had him imprisoned.

"Taking bribes and overturning court decisions... My father would never do such a thing!"

"That's what it seems."

"Do you understand?"

Don asked me seriously.

I took the dented box from Don's hand.

"Do you remember the capabilities of this box?"

Don tilted his head, trying to recall.

I had given this box to Lawrence through Don and explained its functions to him at the time.

"If I recall correctly... once locked, only the prince can open it, and if shown to others, it self-destructs. Is that right?"

"Yes. If I go to such lengths, it's only natural to add one more feature."

"...I see."

Don couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity.

"Anyone who engages in such corrupt acts as taking bribes doesn't deserve to have this box."

"Exactly."

"Prince, that's a brilliant setup."

I looked at the box.

Pascal had tried to destroy it, but Lawrence had kept it intact.

Then.

"Where is Lawrence being held?"

Linus looked as if he had found a savior.

☆

Guided by Linus, I arrived at the prison on the outskirts of Nishil.

Nishil, the capital of Almeria Province.

The largest city in the province has a large prison on its outskirts.

Linus and I arrived there.

"Stop! Who are you?"

"Noah Ararat."

The guard barked at me, and I coldly stated my name.

"Noah... Prince Noah!"

The guard, recognizing me, hurriedly prostrated himself.

"I'm going inside."

"Y-Yes."

I passed the guard and entered the prison.

There was a jailer inside, but he seemed to recognize me and was too shocked to question me.

"Where is Lawrence?"

"Um..."

I stopped and turned to face the hesitant jailer.

The jailer trembled and answered.

"Down the hall, at the end."

I resumed walking, heading straight to the back.

Linus followed a few steps behind me.

After a while, muffled groans could be heard.

I quickened my pace.

When I reached the back, I saw something terrible happening in the cell.

Lawrence was lying on the floor, with sandbags placed on his chest and abdomen.

Three men in black were there.

One was pressing down on the sandbags with his body, while the other two were holding Lawrence's limbs.

It was a brutal method.

As the Minister of Justice, I had seen various punishments and torture methods in the Ministry of Justice.

This method was designed to make it look like a natural death.

Sandbags were placed on the body, and weights were added.

This would compress the chest and lungs, making breathing impossible.

It would take about an hour, but the result would be a body that looked like a natural death, with no external injuries.

"Father!"

"「「「—!」」」

Linus's shout startled the men in black.

One of them grunted and pulled out a knife, trying to stab Lawrence.

They must have switched to a more desperate method now that they were caught.

"Too slow."

I drew Leviathan and swung it down.

As the Prime Minister and a minister of the empire, I was in an invincible state with all abilities at SSS rank.

A single swing of Leviathan sent a slash at the three men.

The two holding Lawrence's limbs were cut down, and the man with the knife tried to block with his own knife.

However, his knife was deflected.

He drew another knife and charged at me.

He rushed at me with great speed.

The knife seemed to slash across my chest.

"It's an afterimage."

"—!"

I moved behind him at a speed that left an afterimage and struck his neck with a knife edge.

The man rolled his eyes and fell to the ground.

"Amazing..."

Linus, who had followed me, stared in disbelief.