The Empror's Trap

Chapter 66: Ch 66 - Inspection

Lina’s days were thoroughly occupied.

First, she rose at 6 AM each day for grooming and preparation.

At 6:30 sharp, she would go to the courtyard or training grounds to circulate her spiritual energy, ensuring smooth flow throughout her body. She would then practice her fist techniques followed by weapon drills.

Afterwards came meditation practice.

For someone trained in demonic arts like herself, meditation wasn’t strictly necessary. But as Kenji said, it was still important to practice orthodox meditation and contemplation methods.

After completing her daily training regimen, Lina would return to her room and remove her training clothes.

She would then select and don an outfit from her wardrobe that was understated yet elegant. This was a daily necessity - as the duke’s guard, while martial prowess was crucial, guards also served as the household’s face and needed to maintain an aesthetic appeal.

Finally, after fixing her hair, she would wake her young master at 8 AM.

There were many ways to wake him. Kenji was particularly sensitive to having his nose pinched - a quick pinch would rouse him shortly.

Notably, even while sleeping, her young master maintained defensive awareness. Any attempt to attack him in his sleep would trigger an instinctive response. However, Lina never faced his counterattacks because his subconscious had grown familiar with her footsteps.

Breakfast was typically prepared by the mansion’s cook. When the cook took leave, Kenji would take Lina to buy something simple from street vendors.

"Good morning, young master."

"Morning."

Kenji emerged from his room yawning. He had just endured Lina’s wake-up routine - she had pinched his nose while tickling him, making it impossible to stay asleep.

Though he could hardly blame her, given how often he worked overtime for Her Majesty at night.

They sat together at the dining table, eating their prepared meal.

"Another peaceful day," Kenji said, gazing at the bright sunlight outside.

Though the weather was peaceful, the day’s atmosphere would be anything but.

He had just received Pluvia’s official decree, ordering him to search Prince Yunis’s mansion based on reports of hidden armor suggesting rebellion. He was to bring Yunis to the palace for questioning.

Upon receiving this news, Kenji didn’t hesitate. Rather, he had been waiting for this decree for a long time, having made all preparations in anticipation of Her Majesty ’s order.

So Kenji gathered his private army in Luminara and headed fully armed to Prince Yunis’s mansion.

The prince’s mansion wasn’t in Luminara but in the auxiliary capital nearby. To prevent potential trouble, Pluvia had deliberately placed him there to suppress and monitor his every move.

Yunis’s mansion was extraordinarily luxurious, practically a miniature royal garden with maze-like corridors. Kenji needed blueprints in advance to ensure his men wouldn’t get lost inside.

To prevent the prince from causing trouble, Pluvia had used both threats and appeasement, hence the mansion’s extremely high specifications.

Now, outside the prince’s mansion, the fully armed forces arrived at the gates. On Kenji’s orders, soldiers guarded every exit. Unlike most nobles’ private armies, Kenji’s forces were experienced soldiers recruited directly from the military.

Their equipment was also standard military issue, completely different from hired experts who couldn’t even cobble together proper armor.

They swiftly surrounded the mansion on Kenji’s command, making it watertight. The mansion’s servants naturally noticed this unusual activity. From several watchtowers, the security staff warily observed Kenji’s group.

Meeting their suspicious gazes, Kenji smiled and raised his hand in greeting before preparing to knock on the mansion’s main gate.

However, before he could knock, a muffled voice came from behind the door:

"Who might you be?"

Kenji smiled and clasped his hands in greeting: "Please inform His Highness that I am Kenji, blessed by imperial grace with the titles of Grand Marshal and Duke Anos. I come today at Her Majesty ’s behest for a brief chat with Prince Yunis."

"Your Highness admits it?"

"Why shouldn’t I? Would denying it make you let me go?" The Fifth Prince sat comfortably in his seat. "How to put it... you could say I played my final move wrong. I was too young. I accept that."

"So I sent those men away first. As Grand Marshal, you’d naturally bring troops. And my men are all stubborn fools - if they saw you bringing forces to find me, they might actually start a fight."

He sighed, stroking the tea pet before him. "Such a fine mansion. I’d hate to see it become a haunted house stained with countless lives."

Kenji had nothing to say to this, only nodding: "Your Highness’s wisdom in this matter is my good fortune."

This truly made things easier. Kenji’s greatest concern in bringing troops had been that the prince might arm his men in desperate resistance. In that case, Kenji might not have successfully captured him.

He found it hard to believe a royal mansion wouldn’t keep several skilled fighters.

"Some tea? I’ll have them brew fresh."

The Fifth Prince raised an eyebrow, gesturing to the tea tray with some dregs remaining.

"Thank you."

Kenji didn’t refuse. The prince wanting to share tea meant he had something to say. Since Her Majesty hadn’t specified when to bring him in, and Kenji was thirsty anyway, he might as well drink.

However...

He gave the Fifth Prince a playful look.

"What, afraid I’ll poison it?" Prince Yunis laughed wryly, shaking his head. "No need for that, Duke Anos... or rather, Kenji. I’m dead either way - it’s just a matter of how. I see no reason to take you with me."

"Your Highness is merciful."

As Kenji finished speaking, a servant approached. They efficiently cleared away the old tea and brewed fresh cups for both men. The tea had a unique fragrance, like flower honey.

Kenji was taken aback.

Such quality in black tea was rare. Though Camelot had black tea regions, production was limited. The main tea regions were said to lie outside Camelot’s direct territories, each with their own character, but few had this flavor.

"Never tried it?" The Fifth Prince showed a hint of pride. "It’s tea from the Southern Region - oh, we used to call it the Southern Barbarians."

Kenji suddenly understood.

The Southern Region was indeed known for black tea, but due to the distance and the royal family’s preference for subtlety, this honey-fragrant tea never became popular.

Tasting it now, it was quite flavorful. Though it smelled of flowers and honey, drinking it revealed a unique bitterness beneath the sweetness.

"Your Highness’s achievement in bringing the Southern Region into the fold was truly remarkable."

Kenji had to acknowledge the prince’s accomplishments. Even though he was now truly a "rebel," before Kenji inherited the position of Duke Anos, this prince had shown early promise.

He had masterfully manipulated conflicts between Southern Barbarian tribes, using their mutual exhaustion to fragment their former unity. Through threats and enticements, he ultimately unified the previously divided South under Camelot’s rule, solving a problem inherited from their ancestors.

In truth, none of the former emperor’s children were incompetent. Even the most "useless" one had gone abroad to become a merchant - though lacking status, they at least made plenty of money.

It was precisely because none of the former emperor’s children were particularly inadequate that the ministers had reservations about Pluvia’s ascension.

"Remarkable achievements? That means nothing to me now - at most it’ll add some praiseworthy details to my tomb inscription. Perhaps future Camelot students will read about me? That depends on my sister’s magnanimity."

He clearly still resented his sister.

"You seem unconcerned about Her Majesty ’s preferential treatment." Since the other party knew his fate, Kenji saw no need for subterfuge. At this point, there was no need for games.

"Kenji, do you truly think I hate my sister?"

Prince Yunis smiled bitterly, then picked up his teacup and drained it.