Chapter 688

There were many people at the banquet hall, including mostly Temple veterans. Among them, the presence of the second-year students at the time of the Gate incident was particularly notable. They were all important people, with impressive backgrounds and high positions. Scarlet asked Ivya about her studies and practical experience, and Ivya replied that she was gaining some experience. Ivya now majors in military science at the reopened Temple and is set to join the Imperial Army after graduation. The Emperor plans to make Ivya the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Army in the distant future, as her ability to communicate with everyone within her range of influence would be more efficient. Scarlet and Ivya noticed that there were only three B-class graduates present, and most of them were missing or dead. The deaths of Ludwig, Christina, Louis Ancton, and Anna de Gerna were almost certain, and the missing Ellen Artorius and Berthus were also wanted. Scarlet, Ivya, and Charlotte were all thinking about the people who were now impossible to find. The banquet hall was divided into several groups, and the Temple veterans naturally gathered together. "Despite keeping some distance from each other, there is a sense of camaraderie among the Temple veterans who have fought together in war. Even those who are not directly involved in politics find it difficult to join the group mixed with Temple members. However, there are still influential people who are not related to politics, such as the current King of Kernstatt, Heinrich von Schwarzkopf, who has the strongest power and political influence after the Emperor and Empress. The Emperor is currently talking to Louise, the Empress, while Heinrich looks at them with envy. Power can sometimes be difficult to handle, as seen in Heinrich's case. It is necessary, but everyone is confused. Despite not having any personal relationship with the Emperor and Empress, Heinrich is still worried about their relationship. It has been five years, and Heinrich's thoughts have changed a bit. He wonders if it's right for his mother to age like that, but he can't know for sure." N/A (This text is a continuation of the previous text and does not contain any new Korean text to be translated.) Erich's words made Heinrich narrow his eyes with a cautious expression. "I plan to give pensions someday, even if not immediately. I'm not sure when it will happen yet. We are also considering giving land as a fief, but it seems like Reinhard is against it." "Why is he against giving land as a fief? Isn't that better?" "If we just give out empty land as fiefs, the recipients will have to develop it themselves. Is that fair? If we give them land after they have developed it, even without any merit, it becomes a fief. If we just give them land and say that's the end of it, it will only create resentment. It's better not to give anything at all." "Ah, I see." Although not all veterans receive pensions yet, there are certainly those who do. And expanding the scope of those pensions is one of the Empire's long-term tasks. In the end, everyone has done something significant in their own way, or they have taken their place. "Do you have any news these days?" Cliff looks at Kone Linde. "Not really?" Kone Linde shrugs. "Well, I guess it's best if you don't have anything to say." Everyone nods as if agreeing with Cliff's words. "What are these kids doing?" Linde rolls his eyes with a troubled expression. "No, you're a high-ranking officer in the Empire's intelligence agency. This doesn't make sense." Kone Linde was one of the high-ranking officials in the Empire's intelligence agency. "It was the most chilling thing to pretend to be unemployed for three years on that subject." He even kept it a secret from his friends. Even with the subtle concern that he should do something now, he confidently said that he would live as an unemployed person for the rest of his life while receiving pensions. "This guy is pretending to be so creepy?" "I'm a person who believes that keeping secrets is professional ethics...! What's so creepy about that...!" A surprisingly good man at keeping secrets. Even a thorough man to the point of giving chills. His friends were most surprised by the truth that Kone Linde was not a spy. Heinrich chuckles as he drinks champagne. "But the real way to get caught is... a little like you." "What do you mean like me...! What's like me...!" When Heinrich presses the button, Kone Linde screams with a red face. Other people laughed knowing the situation, and Kone Linde bit his lips in frustration. Kone Linde, who had hidden the fact that he was a member of the Empire's intelligence agency even from his closest friends, was caught in a very absurd way. "My reasoning skills shone." Kone Linde, who was so thorough, revealed to Erich, who was the least sharp in the room, that he was a member of the intelligence agency. Erich occasionally visited Kone Linde, who was living as an unemployed person, and saw him on a date with a mysterious woman. When Erich asked Kone Linde who the woman was later, Kone Linde simply replied that she was his girlfriend. Erich didn't believe him and consulted with Cliff and Rianna. They suspected that Kone Linde was actually a high-ranking official in the intelligence agency, just like Sarkehgar, who was suspected to be the demon Dreadfend. Kone Linde's long-held secret was revealed in a very absurd way. Despite Kone Linde's protests, the group didn't believe that he was really on a date and thought he was discussing work. "Doing something like that out of nowhere means that the woman in front of me has the qualifications to do such a thing. If not, then what is it?" Kone Linde froze with a look on his face as if he was about to bite his tongue at the gaze. And everyone else sitting there froze too. I don't know what the situation is. It's a situation where you end up knowing because you can't understand what the situation is at all. "Again...you were...watching me...?" Kone Linde wasn't so secretive because he was a sinister and cunning person. It was because he didn't know when and where Sarkehgar was watching him. "I told you, Linde...?" The beautiful lips of the woman curled up in a smile. "I'm always watching you." No one knew whether it was love, obsession, or the meaning of a surveillance agent trying to keep her mouth shut. "Since you couldn't be careful with your words, you'll have to be scolded like last time...?" "I'm sorry..." But one thing was clear, that Sarkehgar was enjoying Kone Linde's reaction very much.