"My King, I apologize. I tried to inform the Lord Regent you were in an important meeting, but—"
Aldric lifted a hand. "It's fine. You can return to your station."
"Yes!" The guard bowed and returned to his post.
"Your Majesty," Magnus began, "Why was I not informed about this particular meeting? As the royal advisor, I must say I'm deeply troubled by such actions."
"It was my decision," Cael interjected.
Magnus shot a snide side glance at Cael before turning his attention to Haru, then back to the king. "Your Majesty, I think it is about time you told me what has been going on. For the continued survival of the kingdom and in honor of the late queen, I must be consulted in all affairs!"
Aldric tried to calm Magnus with a short laugh. "Now, now, we didn't mean anything by it. We heard of a traveler visiting the outskirts of the kingdom who happens to know of a cure to our current plight. We invited Mr. Rex here to discuss the potential remedy."
"Your Majesty!" Magnus exclaimed in shock. "Surely, you have not again fallen for another charlatan?!"
Aldric turned to Haru and apologized. "The Lord Regent is simply cautious of the kingdom's affairs. I hope Mr. Rex can be understanding." He then turned back to Magnus. "Magnus, this time, you are mistaken. The cure is real. Look at Elric." He gestured for his youngest son to step forward, revealing his clear skin, free of the rashes synonymous with the disease.
Magnus narrowed his eyes in surprise as his hands navigated to find a spot on Elric only to come up empty-handed. He turned to Haru and asked a bit more reservedly, "Are you from the Alchemist Association?"
"No, just a wandering traveler," Haru answered.
"Hmph, Your Majesty, I'm afraid you have fallen to the deception of another trickster," Magnus said.
"What do you mean? Elric is clearly cured," Aldric replied.
Magnus's expression hardened, his voice lowering to a whisper. "Your Majesty, appearances can be deceiving. There are many ways to fabricate temporary reliefs that mimic cures. Without the rigorous testing and approval of the Alchemist Association, we cannot trust this so-called remedy. This traveler could be a skilled charlatan, preying on our desperation for his own gain."
Cael who had heard his words began to argue. "You are being rude to our guest. The evidence is right before us. How can you explain Elric's recovery if this is all a deception?"
"I'm afraid the prince is simply too young and doesn't understand the complexities of the real world," Magnus said, leaning in closer, his voice earnest but insidious. "My King, there are many who would seek to take advantage of our current plight. We must remain vigilant. I implore you to let our own alchemists examine this 'cure' thoroughly before placing our trust in it. The prince is still too young to handle such matters. As not only your trusted advisor but also yours and queen Lysandra's longtime friend, allow me to oversee these duties for now. We cannot afford to be careless. "
Aldric looked between Magnus, Cael, and Haru, uncertainty clouding his eyes. Cael was his own son, whom he had long planned to have succeed him, yet Magnus was a longtime friend who had been with him even before Cael was born.
Magnus, perhaps believing the king would trust his words implicitly, scowled as he saw Aldric hesitate. It had never been like this before. Something was different.
Spotting the two vials on the table, Magnus suddenly devised a plan to steer things back his way. He stood above Haru and asked, "Are these the so called cure? This is a simple way to resolve the matter. Relinquish the cure for examination. If I'm wrong, I will simply give our savior here a formal apology."
As he reached for the vial, Haru's hand shot out and caught his arm.
"Is something the matter?" Magnus asked with a coy look.
Haru stared at Magnus with unrelenting eyes. "Those aren't for you."
"Oh, are you worried I might find something I shouldn't?"
Before making a move, Haru made sure who he was dealing with.
> World Knowledge Lv2
> Name: Magnus Lugus
>
> Race: Human
>
> Gender: Male
>
> Occupation: Regent under the crown of the kingdom of Cranch
>
> Current Status: Healthy
>
> Age: 53
>
> If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
'Healthy?''
Haru's brow lifted slightly.
'Examine'
> Magnus Lugus
>
> Description: Magnus Lugus, holding the title of Lord Regent, oversees the administration of Cranch in the absence of the monarch. Born of noble blood, he once belonged to a renowned A-rank adventuring party. As a highly skilled magic user, Magnus ranks among the top spellcasters in the kingdom of man.
>
> Physical Characteristics: (Height: 6') / (Weight: 188 lbs) / (White greying hair, brown eyes, trimmed beard, medium sized frame)
>
> Potential: B
>
> Equipment: Finely crafted mystic cane
>
> Rank: VII+
It was a similar description to the king and it was easy enough to assume that they had been part of the same party during their younger years. However, what really took Haru by surprise was that the Lord Regent current status was healthy. Was there truly someone within the kingdom of Cranch who wasn't afflicted by the plague? And if so, why was the tell tale sign of the plague on his face then?
A familiar scent suddenly snagged his attention.
Without a second thought, he brought the Lord Regent's hand closer and inhaled the scent deeply. Lilac and vanilla, with a slight undertone that couldn't be mistaken from a woman he knew from his past.
The Lord Regent immediate pulled his hand back with a slight look of disgust.
"What are you doing?!" he asked, annoyed.
Haru's smile was slow, making it all the more eerie. "You smell like her."
"Wha-what are you talking about?" Magnus took a step back, feeling uncomfortable.
Haru proceeded to laugh as he leaned forward. "I knew she had her claws deep in this kingdom, but I never expected her top pawn to be right in front of me. I'm relieved, though. I don't have the time to root out all of her puppets, but at least the most important one is here."
Haru wasn't making a lick of sense, at least, not for those currently observing him.
"Mr. Rex, what's going on?" The King asked.
"What else could it be but the end of his charade?" Magnus seethed angrily. "He knows his lies have caught up and is trying to confuse us with nonsense. We must detain him immediately. Once our alchemist examines the evidence, we'll know the truth for sure and we can move on to implementing actual plans to revitalize the kingdom instead of blindly trusting these charlatans! Guards, come in and detain the charalatan!"
The door opened and guards rushed in as they circled around Haru.
However, Cael had been observing the interaction from the start and sensed that something was off. From his brief conversations with Haru, one thing had become clear: Haru was not someone easily understood or categorized. If there was one thing Cael had learned from their exchanges, it was that Haru operated beyond conventional logic, and Cael was curious to uncover what it was that Haru was getting at.
Haru turned to the Lord Regent and said, "Do you remember when I said there are those who seek to destroy the kingdom of Cranch? What would you say if I told you right now, in this room, is one of the main perpetrators that wish to see Cranch destroyed?"
The room went into a stunned silence as they all turned to the Lord Regent. There was, after all, only one person who he could be talking about.
A vein popped on Magnus' forehead as he pointed an accusatory finger at Haru.
"Y-You dare make such accusations! You've been acting suspicious since the moment I arrived. If anyone's a spy here, it's you!"
The king, clearly unsettled, tried to diffuse the situation. "Mr. Rex, I can assure you that Magnus would never act against the interests of the kingdom. I've known him for most of my life, and we've faced more than one life-or-death situation together during our years as adventurers. I can personally vouch for his character."
Magnus offered a smug smirk at the king's endorsement as he turned to the captain. "Well, captain, I thought I said to detain this man."
The Captain of the guard had hesitated the moment he came in. He was the same one who had escorted Haru all the way here and knew first hand of the amazing cure which could save their people and now he was being ordered to detain him. His eyes shifted to the prince. Though he was a man who always listened to the orders of his superiors, there were times when even he had to question his orders. He needed confirmation from the prince or the king.
"Hold on," the prince said, turning back to Haru. "Do you have anything to say?"
Haru leaned in, his brows narrowing. "I can offer you one piece of advice. Beyond the plague, the kingdom's downfall has been meticulously orchestrated. The isolation, the constant sabotage, even the queen's death—none of it was random. Nothing will change until you rid yourselves of her puppet and take away the knife that's currently aimed at your back."
The accusation was heavy. Haru was directly implicating the Lord Regent in the death of the late queen and everything else that has been happening.
"He lies! I am the Lord Regent, a trusted advisor to the king and queen for over two decades. I've never betrayed the kingdom, and to accuse me of orchestrating the queen's death...!" Magnus's voice shook with indignation as he turned to the king. "Aldric, why are you letting this man poison your son's mind? You must act now and detain him before he corrupts the young prince further!" His face flushed with anger, he pointed to the guards. "Arrest him, now!"
Some guards moved toward Haru, but before the captain could tell them to hold, Cael stepped forward.
"Stop!"
The guards stopped.
"Do you have any proof to what you are saying?" Cael asked.
Haru spoke with a calmly. "Proof? I have none but my own words. However, I trust you're smart enough to have already drawn your own conclusions. You've made good plans, but why haven't you implemented them? It's been frustrating, hasn't it? Watching as the kingdom you cherish slowly crumble. And the plague—it's a slow-acting disease. It doesn't become lethal until it covers more than half of the body. You already know the answer, don't you?"
Haru remained silent as Cael clenched his fists. His words struck a chord, resonating deeply with the young prince. Cael, born to one of the greatest adventurers and the former princess of Cranch, was expected to excel in politics and management. Yet, time and again, the Lord Regent had been there to stifle his growth. Especially after the Queen mother's death, the Lord Regent had consistently undermined Cael's efforts to save the kingdom. With his wife gone, the king often leaned heavily on the Lord Regent for counsel.
There had been many suspicions aligning with Haru's revelations, but more pressing matters had always diverted Cael's attention. Now, he couldn't shake the thought—could it be true that his mother's death wasn't solely due to the plague and the kingdom's burdens?
Gritting his teeth, Cael reflected on Haru's unexpected appearance in their time of need—a hand reaching from the shadows. It had come out of nowhere, and yet, he felt if he didn't grasp it, his world would be swallowed by the abyss.
In an instant, he made a decision. Turning to the captain, he commanded firmly, "Apprehend the Lord Regent! He will be investigated and held in prison until further notice!"