[BL] Guardians of Fate
Chapter 101 - 22: A Feeling Beyond Rationality [6]

Chapter 101: Chapter 22: A Feeling Beyond Rationality [6]

Duke Alfred Hartengrove leaned back in his seat, his face a mask of irritation. For centuries, the demon monster had proven to be a disruption to the balance that he worked so hard to maintain in his domain.

To him, Guardians were unpredictable wildcards that operated outside the normal hierarchies of power. Not only that, but they followed their Summoners only. Even if the nobility ordered them to do something, they put their Summoners first and were fiercely loyal to them no matter what.

It was irritating how those who had magic and were lucky enough to be ’fated’ were automatically set apart from the rest regardless of social standing or merit. He was the Duke of Stormhaven, and yet when a Summoner came to visit, he was expected to treat them grandly, to hold them in high esteem, to be very polite, and never to be rude.

Because of the love and praise that official Summoners and Guardians received from the people, the Duke had to tread carefully regarding the issue. Although he felt contempt for them, he was no fool. He knew he couldn’t move against them openly.

However, he vowed to somehow shift the balance of power in his favor so that the reliance on Summoners and Guardians would no longer be necessary. As of now, that was a nearly impossible goal, but times were changing.

Frankly, the cycle was going on for too long now. There was still no definite solution to eliminate the demon monster for good. If it continued, too many lives would be lost, and he might also lose everything that he had worked so hard for. He could not let that happen.

"Right now, the best thing to do is to find the man from the banquet and take him into custody," the Duke continued. "If he just arrived in this world this morning, then he must not know how to use his magic yet. So, I don’t need you for this plan. Just do as I always tell you and never reveal your identity to anyone, especially to the advisors. Is that clear?"

Leon instantly tensed. "Yes, Your Grace."

"Since he’s an outsider, he probably has no idea how this world works. We will use that to our advantage and interrogate him. If he refuses to cooperate, pain and fear are always the best way to make him realize his position." The Duke smiled slightly. "If he activates his magic, that would be even better. We can get a solid confirmation of his identity from that alone. It is said that unexpected things can happen when a person realizes he’s in grave danger and his survival instinct kicks in."

Leon felt the color slowly drain from his face at the implication. "But, isn’t that a little..."

"What? You feel sorry for an Otherworlder, boy?" The Duke scoffed. "You’d better tear yourself away from that sympathetic side of yourself. It’s a cutthroat world out here. ’Fated bonds’ are useless. When peace is short-lived, one must value the legacy they leave behind. You, in particular, should be careful not to expose yourself. They might send you to the battlefield or even isolate you from everyone else. I can’t let that happen," he barked. "You are my only heir. I will not let my empire collapse and fall into the hands of a stranger who does not have my blood coursing through his veins."

Leon slumped his shoulders, defeated. "I understand," he said quietly. There was nothing else he could say.

"Good." The Duke looked out of the window in annoyance. "That Otherworlder has ruined my expansion plans. What will happen to Elfroien’s resources now once the monster is done with the rampaging? What if the Calamity comes and destroys my territory? Rebuilding costs a lot of money, I’ll let you know!"

Leon chose to keep silent, letting his father go on a tirade.

"I will meet with the advisors first," Duke Alfred continued. "We will send out a search party for the Otherworlder. We cannot let him loose in this land. We will also inform the people, as many as possible. I will also give the information I have so far to the representatives of the other three kingdoms. That way, we can come to a consensus on what to do with him next."

"If Evan’s friend is indeed the one... Are you going to have him executed afterwards?" Leon asked slowly.

Duke Alfred showed no visible reaction to Leon’s question, his gaze fixed on the passing evening landscape through the open window. "Of course I am. It’s a sacrifice for the greater good. Don’t be so naïve."

Leon felt the stirrings of panic in his gut. "What are you going to do with him if you gain the confirmation? Are you going to kill him right away?"

"That depends on how he behaves. If he resists too much, he will be executed on the spot. Though I would rather it not come to that. Depending on how the interrogation goes, he might be useful to us in some way." The Duke seemed pensive for a moment. "However, if things change on the Prince’s end, I might consider a few things."

Leon did not have a good feeling about this, but he phrased his next question cautiously. "What things?"

"If the Prince ever manages to seal that monster away, we’ll have a lot of time on our hands." Duke Alfred’s eyes gleamed with malice. "Come to think of it, keeping him secretly imprisoned will have its advantages for us. We can gather important information without anyone interfering. It will give us the upper hand."

Leon fell into a stunned silence.

If Evan failed in the sealing process, it would mean that the monster would be on the loose again, unpredictable and dangerous to everyone else. It would also mean Evan’s death and possibly the death of some of his Guardians. The Otherworlder would then be a target for everyone else.

But if Evan succeeded and the monster was sealed away up in the skies, then that man — the Otherworlder — would still be in danger. He would be hunted by everyone freely, including Leon’s own father. The man would be interrogated and tortured and everything else that could be imagined for a long time.

Both outcomes were equally bad.

"But if he fails, we must still act quickly," the Duke said. "Given the Prince’s heroic personality, he will do anything to weaken the monster and prevent it from harming his people. Once the Calamity goes into hibernation for a week or two, we’ll strike. We will find this Otherworlder as soon as possible before the monster returns, gather as much information as possible, and then use him as bait."

Leon tried not to let the fear slip into his tone. "How... How certain are you that you can capture him?"

"I have a strategy in mind. I will discuss it with His Majesty later on once I arrive at the safehouse. This is a covert operation, understand? I trust that no word of this gets out to anyone."

Duke Alfred fixed his son with a cold stare.

"Don’t let that useless sympathy of yours get in the way of my plans."