Episode 129

Jasper had been discreetly keeping an eye on conservative noble students based on information provided by Ethan. 

Aside from the individuals Ethan had encountered at the factory site, there were a few who seemed to have had contact with Dom Industries.

Jasper approached the conservative students currently studying at the academy. Most of them had never spoken with Jasper before.

“What’s your name? Your face looks a bit familiar.”

Even this single sentence caused them to spill fragments of various pieces of information. The fact that Jasper initiated the conversation was exhilarating in itself.

“Oh, Senior Jasper! I attended the party at Sidoor a while ago.”

“Is that so?”

“You remember me…! It was years ago…”

When Jasper tried to engage with people, it turned out to be easier than he expected. Before he met Rose, Jasper was used to receiving such attention. 

It was an almost daily occurrence for him.

While Jasper’s reputation had taken a slight hit due to various scandals, nobody was surprised that Conway’s second son was getting close.

“I’ve heard that your family has been going through a tough time recently. Is everything okay?”

“Are you concerned for me? You’re much kinder than the rumors suggest…”

“What do the rumors say? Tell me honestly.”

“Well, they say you’re a bit radical… progressive? Whatever it is, I support your love, Senior.”

“Is that so? Weren’t your family conservative? You seem to have a misconception, but I’m not particularly reformist. You do know who my brother is, right?”

“Oh, yes, of course.”

“I just don’t want to be trapped in a rigid arranged marriage system. Otherwise, there isn’t much difference on the social front. The talks of reforming noble laws were quite unpleasant.”

“Ah, it seems Senior Jasper shares the same thoughts. Many around me have their grievances too.”

“Then let’s create a platform for them.”

“Really?”

“I’m sure they’re all allies of my brother’s, and it’d be good for me to get to know them, too, to give him a boost in his political endeavors.”

He casually extended an invitation, and in no time, a gathering with the conservative students was arranged. 

Indeed, for Jasper, winning the favor of others was a remarkably straightforward task. Those who desired power and wealth were even easier to influence. 

Of course, Rose Bell was an exception to all of this.

Jasper conversed with several conservative students within the academy. They were all dissatisfied with the current system, and it was evident that there were even more individuals outside the academy who shared their views.

A good number of them seemed to be involved in Dom Industries. Starting from the staunch conservatives, it was clear that Dom Industries was working to establish itself within the empire. This trend had only emerged recently, as there had been no prior indication of this.

“The issue is when Weir Company monopolizes the market, groveling to Her Majesty. They’re putting out a lot of propaganda that strongly criticizes the class system.”

“Those business folks…”

“But Dom Industries is different.”

Among the conservative students, the name “Dom Industries” was frequently mentioned. There were rumors that Dom Industries was lobbying extensively to prevent the reform of noble laws from passing in the upcoming regular session, and they were curiously close to the conservative nobility.

The sudden alliance of conservative nobles and Dom Industries was not likely due to mere coincidence. There must be a reason for these two forces coming together.

The Emperor, after hearing Jasper’s account, stroked her chin thoughtfully for a moment and then spoke.

“The extreme conservatives detest me greatly. They probably long to see me resting in my grave. So, what do you think this has to do with Edwin’s disappearance and your current situation?”

Jasper hesitated before answering the Emperor’s question. 

Edwin was one of the Emperor’s most critical secrets. He couldn’t reveal the truth he knew about Edwin’s identity without proper consideration. 

Jasper chose to be vague in his response.

“Edwin betrayed Your Majesty. He also seems to have a personal grudge against you, and I suppose it’s easier to be allies when you have a common enemy.”

The Emperor squinted at Jasper for a long while.

“You said you hadn’t heard anything unusual about Edwin, but that wasn’t the case, was it?”

“I did hear, but I didn’t commit it to memory. I have no intention of recalling it. Edwin has his reasons.”

Although Jasper knew Edwin’s true identity, he had made an oath not to disclose it. The Emperor sensed the hidden meaning behind Jasper’s words and gave a cryptic smile.

“You don’t need to pretend. Edwin will soon cease to exist in this world anyway. He used to be an innocent boy I took pity on once, but he became a threat to this land. The empire cannot tolerate that.”

Jasper stood silently, maintaining a dignified posture. The Emperor spoke again.

“The actions of Dom Industries are indeed suspicious. I’ve had agents observing their activities in the Republic. Strange, but they’ve been sending supplies to a small island.”

“An island, Your Majesty?”

“Yes, quite curious. They must be hiding something there, whether it’s materials or people.”

“If you command it, I will return to the Republic and investigate the island.”

The Emperor waved her hand dismissively.

“It’s within the territory of the Republic. We mustn’t be too meddlesome, as it could cause turmoil between our nations. Infiltrating that tiny island won’t be easy, and it’s likely to bring trouble.”

“In that case, should I continue as I have been?”

“No, I’d recommend digging deeper into the conservative gatherings. Behave as if you share their values and work with them. Get to know the true purpose of their organization.”

“I understand.”

“If they are a political gathering, they will likely take some action before the regular session. We must be patient. We need to catch them in the act.”

The Emperor’s eyes darkened, and Jasper firmly resolved to carry out the mission, unlike during his time in Valloch. 

This time, he had to complete the task without any mistakes.

* * *

Clunk, clunk. The transcontinental train was speeding along the tracks. 

Caleb, who had briefly closed his eyes on the upper bunk, woke up to the sound of rain tapping on the window.

It had been pouring rain since last night. If the rainfall increases here, they might have to stop at the next station for a while.

‘I want to get to the capital soon.’

Caleb, scratching his disheveled hair as if it were a new home, slid down from the upper bunk. On the lower bunk, a massive man was sleeping soundly, snoring.

Caleb was using a shared compartment for the first time. The conditions were far from ideal, but he considered having a single room a luxury for his current self. His money was running out as he traveled from place to place.

Whenever he ran out of money, he did whatever it took to earn more, from simple manual labor to mercenary work. He earned money and traveled to various places, experiencing new cultures and indulging in the arts.

But then, he received a letter from the Empire, and he was forced to return to Lepti. The family insisted that he write a document giving up his inheritance rights. It seemed like they were planning to pass on the title to one of his cousins.

Caleb thought it was better this way. Deep down, he was waiting for his father’s approval. 

Giving up the inheritance rights meant being cast out of the family, but he had no intention of returning to his old life.

Caleb was content with his current life. He followed his instincts, mingled with artists, and engaged in discussions about aesthetics in coffee houses until the early hours of the morning.

If he didn’t give up the inheritance rights, he would eventually have to enter the cutthroat marriage market again and live his life bound by various rules. The thought of it made his stomach churn.

‘I should give up that damn inheritance rights as soon as possible.’

Caleb stretched his tired body and stepped out of the compartment. Feeling a bit more awake, he finally felt hungry and headed to the dining car in the middle of the train.

Compared to the restaurant reserved for first-class passengers, the menu here was modest, but the food tasted decent enough. Most importantly, it was reasonably priced.

Caleb entered the dining car, placed his order, and immediately took a seat in a corner. He lowered his hat, glanced through a newspaper, and that’s when it happened.

Three large, rough-looking men entered the dining car, and their noisy entrance naturally drew everyone’s attention. Caleb raised his head slightly, seemingly uninterested at first.

‘…They look familiar.’

All three of them had faces that he seemed to have seen somewhere before.

‘Who are they?’

Caleb muttered to himself as he discreetly covered his face with a newspaper. After some contemplation, he suddenly remembered where he had seen them before.

‘Oh! Weren’t these the guys who forcibly took Rose away?’

They had taken Rose away as if kidnapping her, all because they wanted her to pay off the debts of her father. Their attire had become more upscale since then, but Caleb was becoming more certain of their identity.

One of them had a crooked nose. After taking a punch from Jasper, his nose seemed to be permanently deformed.

‘Where are they going?’

Caleb peered over the newspaper to observe them. 

Amid an otherwise monotonous train journey, a situation that piqued his curiosity had unexpectedly arisen.