[Trantor - Helga ]


    [Proofreader - Lucky]


    Chapter 180


    Even Cami, someone who could be called Kane’s closest aide, had concealed the despicable actions of the Blood Grand Temple.


    She also bore responsibility for these deeds.


    For that reason, she was excluded from this matter.


    “Reflect on your actions,” Kane said coldly to her before heading to the headquarters of the Blood Grand Temple in Rehinar.


    In front of the Blood Grand Temple, Kane arrived to see the priests greet him with reverence, as if they were in the presence of a deity.


    “Oh! The Duke himself has graced the temple with a visit!”


    “What a sacred asion!”


    “We thank ta for allowing us to witness the Duke up close.”


    Kane observed the priests carefully.


    It was excessive.


    When Rehinar was just beginning to develop, such enthusiasm had been beneficial.


    However, now that the city had firmly established itself, such fervor had be more of a poison.


    This was an era of peace.


    No, to be precise, they were showcasing their madness through him.


    Wasn’t the ruler of the Fresia Empire the Emperor?


    Yet these people went around proiming that Kane, the hero who saved the continent, was greater than the Emperor.


    “The title of hero shines brighter because Rehinar remains loyal to the Imperial family.”


    Using his fame to pressure the royal family was not the behavior of true loyalists.


    Rehinar was a vassal, always prepared toy down their lives for the Fresia Imperial Family.


    That was the purpose of Rehinar''s existence.


    Yet, the actions of the Blood Grand Temple’s members were dragging that honor through the mud.


    If this continued, they risked being branded as traitors.


    Crown Prince Isaac—now Emperor Isaac von Fresia—had thus far shown goodwill toward Kane, preventing any repercussions.


    But even his patience had limits.


    If he lost his tolerance or sumbed to pressure from the central nobility, he might turn his de toward Rehinar.


    This had to be prevented.


    Kane stepped into the center of the temple’s hall.


    The blood priests gathered and took their seats.


    “I’vee here personally to deliver an important announcement.”


    Everyone fell silent, listening solely to Kane’s voice.


    “From today onward, the Blood Grand Temple will be downsized.”


    The priests murmured in shock.


    “What are you saying?”


    “Why would you suddenly reduce the temple’sinfluence?”


    “Let’s hear him out first!”


    Kane’s voice rang out again, calm but resolute.


    “I know my words may seem absurd, but I ask for your understanding.”


    A high-ranking blood priest cautiously stood up and asked, “May I ask the reason for this decision?”


    “The reason is that members of the Blood Grand Temple have beenmitting atrocities under my name.”


    “Those vile scum!”


    “Who dares to misuse the Duke’s name like that?”


    “We must apprehend these heretics and punish them!”


    The priests erupted in anger.


    ‘Their outrage is genuine. I suppose it’s because they belong solely to Rehinar and the Blood Grand Temple.’


    Rehinar had never experienced an incident like Phec.


    Even though it hadn’t been long since he had been in this trial, he understood why this was happening.


    It was all due to his memories.


    The followers of Rehinar were genuinely pure-hearted.


    They were all natives of Rehinar, and their first loyalty was to Kane.


    Fearing that their actions might tarnish Kane''s honor, they conducted themselves with utmost care.


    They never epted bribes or entertained improper requests.


    Despite their utmost caution, their anger was understandable when a scandal erupted.


    “Because of this incident, Yoshua has stepped down as the temple''s High priest.”


    “What?!”


    “The leader has taken responsibility….”


    “How could something so grave happen because of the reckless actions of a few?”


    Their emotions oscited between sorrow and rage.


    Kane seized the moment to instill a sense of vignce in them.


    “The Blood Grand Temple is precious to me as well. It’s a force that has grown alongside Rehinar. Expelling Yoshua is akin to cutting away part of myself. I hope you understand what I’m trying to convey.”


    For Kane, family and honor were of paramount importance.


    If that honor was defiled, he inclined to destroy the sourcepletely.


    The followers were well aware of this.


    “With a heart full of anguish, we will purify the temple.”


    “Yoshua,” Kane addressed.


    “At yourmand.”


    “Purify the temple and restore your honor.”


    “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity.”


    Thus began the cleansing of the Blood Grand Temple.


    * * *


    In front of the man, figures in crimson robes exuded an ominous aura.


    “How dare you attack me? Do you even know who I am?”


    “Nico Schloter, head of the Blood Grand Temple’s Phec branch.”


    “You know who I am, yet you dare attack me without fear? If you don’t kneel immediately, you’ll regret it greatly. I have the backing of Kane Rehinar, the Blood Grand Duke!”


    At that moment, crimson chains appeared on either side of him, binding his body in an instant.


    “You bastards!”


    “We are restraining a traitor who has tarnished the honor of the Duke.”


    It was only then that Nico realized the nature of the magic constraining him.


    “Y-You’re from the temple?”


    “…….”


    “We’re on the same side! Why are you doing this to me?”


    “Look at you acting all innocent.”


    Nico recalled the words spoken to him just moments earlier.


    His face turned pale with fear.


    “Because of you, the high priest of the temple was stripped of his position—with his mana heart shattered, no less.”


    “P-please, spare me!”


    “It seems you’ve forgotten the oath you swore before joining the temple.”


    “You’ll face interrogation soon. You’ll need to confess everything. If you don’t, remember this—your family, cousins, even distant rtives will all pay the price with their lives.”


    Despair engulfed Nico, surpassing mere fear.


    The ones sent to capture him were the Blood Inquisitors—agents who only appeared during times of crisis within the temple.


    This meant the temple viewed his actions as a grave threat.


    To Nico, being taken by them was as good as a death sentence.


    “W-wait!” he called out, stopping the Blood Inquisitors.


    “I’ll admit my wrongdoing. But before that, allow me to hand over the trade route management between Phec and Rehinar.”


    “That will be handled by those above us.”


    “Don’t you realize how much the Duke values the trade route? Especially the one connecting Phec and Rehinar—it’s among the Empire’s most critical. I must retrieve my seal and leave it in my office.”


    “Hand over the seal. I’ll deliver it myself.”


    “It’s hidden in a ce that only my magic can ess. Come with me, and I’ll unseal it.”


    “If you’re nning to escape, you’ll regret it.”


    “With my family’s lives on the line because of my actions, do you think I’d try something foolish?”


    “Lead the way.”


    The Blood Inquisitors followed Nico toward the outskirts of Phec.


    They arrived at a cave.


    It was a dark and eerie ce.


    “You im to have hidden the seal here?”


    “It’s over there,” Nico said, pointing to a section of the cave wall.


    “Release these magical restraints, and I’ll break the seal where the seal is concealed.”


    “And how are we supposed to trust you?”


    “Do you see any way for me to escape? There’s only one exit here.”


    The location left no room for evasion. The only way out was the entrance.


    It didn’t seem like a ce where one could attempt something reckless.


    But the Inquisitors overlooked one crucial detail.


    Sssshhhhh.


    As Nico pressed a section of the cave wall, poisonous gas began to seep out.


    “Poison!”


    “Shield your bodies with mana!”


    “Heh, did you think I’d be foolish enough to invoke Kane’s name without preparing for something like this?” Nico sneered sinisterly.


    The gas was released from a mechanism embedded in the cave—a potent poison, not of ordinary kind.


    It was extracted from mutated monsters, deadly enough to kill even a sixth-ss mages instantly.


    “I’ve made a fortune using Kane’s name. It’s a shame I can’t keep going.”


    “Guh…”


    One by one, the Blood Inquisitors copsed, sumbing to the toxic gas.


    Although Nico protected himself with mana, the poison was so potent that enduring it became increasingly difficult.


    “Do you think I’ll be rewarded by the higher-ups with your lives? They’ve been looking for test subjects who’ve absorbed the Blood Mana, so this works out perfectly.”


    Nico waited patiently for them to lose consciousness.


    Just then, the cave was suddenly filled with a fierce wind.


    The poison gas vanished in an instant.


    “Who’s there?!”


    Nico’s jaw dropped as he saw the neer.


    “M-Mikhail!”


    Kane’s right-hand man, known as the True Dragon Lord.


    “There are quite a few rats hiding here.”


    “Wh-What are you doing here?”


    “I’ve captured everyone except you.”


    “No way!?”


    “You’re thest one.”


    “Tch!”


    Nico activated a mechanism.


    The ground beneath him opened, and he attempted to descend.


    Thud!


    Mikhail’s spear, me Emperor’s spear, shot forward like lightning and impaled Nico’s abdomen.


    Nico was thrown into the air and mmed against the cave wall.


    “Who is your superior?”


    “Do you think I’ll tell you?”


    “You won’t need to. There are plenty of people who’ll speak. And while I’m not fond of torture, the Duke is a different story. You’ll see hell. Are you prepared for that?”


    There was one fact that everyone knew.


    When Kane sought information from the enemy, the screams from Rehinar never ceased.


    He didn’t easily end their lives.


    He kept them alive until every bit of information was extracted.


    He even used healing magic to keep them alive longer.


    Though everyone respected Kane, there was one thing they couldn’t turn a blind eye to: the horrific methods he used to torture his enemies.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Nico, trapped in his thoughts, caught Mikhail’s sly grin.


    “You don’t want to be caught by the Duke, do you?”


    ***


    The temple''s prison.


    For years, many people who had infiltrated the temple while pretending to be followers were now imprisoned.


    All of them were nothing more than broken shells of their former selves.


    The air inside the prison was thick with the stench of blood.


    Kane personally tortured each one of them, extracting every bit of information.


    As he wiped the blood from his hands, he muttered to himself.


    “So the remnants of the Meyer Family are still around…”


    He thought he had wiped them all out.


    But it seemed the house of Sun’s influence still lingered.


    “And they’re walking freely in the Imperial Pce?”


    Kane’s eyes gleamed sharply.


    The surrounding atmosphere froze due to the crimson glow in his eyes.


    It was a terrifying aura.


    Even Kane’s subordinates found it hard to breathe freely.


    “This time, we’ll eliminate them all.”


    As Kane stood up, Mikhail stepped in front of him.


    “There are people from the Imperial Family involved. Even if the Emperor trusts you, these are the Emperor''s blood rtives.”


    “I’m not going in recklessly. First, I’ll assess the situation in the Imperial Capital. The actiones after that.”


    “Phew. I was worrying for nothing.”


    Mikhail let out a sigh of relief.


    shing with the Imperial Family wasn’t something that could be done lightly.


    There would be many restrictions.


    They would need to gather a solid justification.


    The best course was to use the remnants of the Sun House as a reason to speak with the Imperial Family.


    “Gillip, activate the ck Crow’swork and gather information on the First Princess.”


    “Leave it to me.”


    “I’ll head to the Imperial Capital to get a feel for the situation.”


    “You n to act after assessing the situation, right?”


    “Correct.”


    “But why go to the Imperial Capital immediately?”


    “I don’t n to cause trouble, so don’t worry too much.”


    “There is no one here who isn’t worried, Duke.”


    Kane looked around at them.


    They all subtly nodded in agreement.


    [Trantor - Helga ]


    [Proofreader - Lucky]