Chapter 90: After the Warning Explosion.

“A time bomb?”

“Yes, after the first explosion, we immediately headed to the explosion site. And just as we approached Viscount Pera’s estate, the second explosion occurred. We searched the area immediately, but we couldn’t find anyone suspected as the culprit. It seemed the culprit fled after setting off the first explosion and delaying the timing of the second explosion.”

A little over two hours after the explosion, the captain of the guard came to report to Philius. Although he tried to appear calm, to me, he looked anxious.

Philius asked him again with an expressionless face.

“What is the damage to Viscount Pera’s family?”

“The mansion was completely burned down, but no one died. Because everyone in the mansion evacuated after the first explosion occurred outside, and then the second explosion happened.”

“Was the first explosion meant as a warning?”

“Given that enough time was given to evacuate, it seems so.”

“A time bomb, huh…”

Philius let out a scoff. Eventually, the captain of the guard bowed his head as if ashamed.

“Since it seemed related to our comrade, I investigated…”

“Comrade?”

As I expressed doubt at the captain of the guard’s words, Philius explained to me.

“John is a former mercenary who went to the New Continent. He belonged to the artillery unit.”

“So there aren’t many who can handle time bombs.”

“Only a part even within the artillery unit.”

It meant the suspects were limited. Hearing that it was limited to mercenaries who went to the New Continent, and specifically some members of the artillery unit, I frowned. Because there was a high possibility someone would try to link Philius with the culprit who terrorized Viscount Pera’s family.

Without a victory ceremony, there could be no disbandment ceremony, so Philius was still in the position of Commander-in-Chief of the expeditionary force.

“Who is the culprit?”

At Philius’s question, John hesitated for a moment but eventually opened his mouth.

“It is Linton, the one-armed man.”

Philius’s face still had no expression. But I could tell he was disappointed.

John, seemingly feeling the same as me, continued urgently.

“I know well that Your Excellency the Commander-in-Chief bestowed special grace upon Linton. If not for Your Excellency, Linton would have lost his life, not just one arm. Linton also knows that fact, of course. That’s why he dared to decline, thinking he was inadequate to guard the mansion where Your Excellency stays.”

“The reason for the crime?”

“That is…”

“Was Linton a guy who blows up other people’s houses without reason?”

Philius clenched the hand with the scar. John’s gaze also headed to that hand. The two people’s actions informed me that the person who scarred Philius’s hand was Linton.

“Linton, who dared to refuse the grace generously bestowed by Your Excellency, worked guarding the house of a man named Alea. But that Alea…”

“Alea was beaten by Viscount Pera’s son until his bones broke, abandoned in the hospital, and died, so he took revenge?”

“…I apologize.”

“Were they that close? Enough not to value his own life?”

“When I met him last time, he described Alea as a narrow-minded old man.”

“They must have been quite close.”

“It seems Alea treated Linton quite well. He often kept him close and asked him to tell war stories.”

“As far as I know, he wasn’t a person with high popularity.”

I agreed with the doubt Philius expressed. It was a completely different aspect from the Alea I knew.

“As you said, there were many who held grudges against Alea. But before going to the New Continent, it seems Linton once saved his life.”

John answered bowing his head further.

“Although he dared to refuse Your Excellency’s proposal out of pride, those days were a source of pride for Linton. He even said the only person who would give big money to a useless one-armed man was Alea. It is said Alea took in all the kids Linton was taking care of.”

“I would have offered the same conditions.”

“I apologize.”

Philius clicked his tongue low.

I gave a bitter smile but could understand Linton’s choice to some extent. The choice driven by pride not to become a useless burden to the person who saved him, and yearning for those glorious days. Although extremely foolish.

“So, was it really done out of vengeance?”

“Not necessarily just that.”

“Then?”

“He went to find Viscount Pera’s son following a witness’s statement that he saw him leaving Alea abandoned at the hospital.”

Ha. Philius sighed. This time I had no choice but to agree with him. I thought the result was practically predetermined from the moment Linton decided to visit Viscount Pera’s son.

“Did he say he expected an apology at least?”

“Linton said he wanted to know the detailed circumstances. He said he was resentful to die without knowing the reason, and that he didn’t go there to die.”

“It seems Linton hasn’t left the battlefield yet.”

“It looked that way to me too.”

The two had miserable expressions.

As I didn’t participate in the war directly, I couldn’t have the same bond as the two. Still, I felt like I could understand a little.

“I can also guess what Viscount Pera’s son said seeing Linton. So he blew up the house with a bomb?”

“He says he will surrender. I stopped him momentarily from going to the Capital Guard immediately.”

“Did you urge him?”

“I didn’t say anything separately, but as soon as he saw me coming, he said he would surrender.”

“Who knows you went to meet Linton?”

“No one.”

Philius looked at John squinting one eye.

“Linton will be executed. Even if he surrenders, the punishment won’t change.”

“Linton knows too. He laughed saying he could finally be liberated from nightmares.”

Philius’s face frowned even more. Nightmares were trauma for him too.

Knowing the captain of the guard was watching, I approached Philius. I held the hand where Linton left a scar.

A faint smile appeared on Philius’s face looking down at me. He interlaced his fingers with mine. As we usually do. I also rubbed the scar with my finger resting on the back of his hand.

Philius closed his eyes for a moment. As if organizing tangled thoughts.

Opening his eyes again, Philius spoke to John in a cold voice.

“I won’t try to save Linton either. He committed such an act, and there is no need for vain effort.”

“I am only sorry.”

Even if not in a discriminatory world like this, the crime Linton committed was serious. Using a bomb, no less. Still, there might have been room for extenuation in that no one was hurt, but here, it wasn’t a subject of consideration at all. The victim was a noble. Just burning down a historic mansion completely made his execution certain.

John, having lived as a Beta all along, seemed to realize that fact more.

“However, I must give one piece of advice. If he intends to surrender, tell him to go to the police station. Instead of going to the Capital Guard still under the illusion of being a soldier.”

Seeming unexpected, John raised his head sharply. Although he bowed his head again soon with an expression of mistake.

Both the police and the Capital Guard were organizations for Noberten’s safety, but politically there was a big difference. The Capital Guard was military. Heading there meant he could even be suspected of being a Petan spy for causing an insurrection. Conversely, heading to the police station meant reducing this matter to a personal grudge.

And it was also words implying that Philius could block unnecessary harsh acts during the investigation process. While the Captain of the Capital Guard was a figure selected by the King’s influence, the Commissioner of Police was no different from the Prime Minister’s limb.

As if realizing the difference between the two properly only now, John didn’t know what to do. But I felt like I knew why Philius made him the captain of the guard. In the first place, as a Beta, there weren’t many situations where he had to consider political issues. If it’s a problem involving a noble, the result would be the same whichever way he went.

In that he understood Philius’s words and realized his own oversight, he was sufficiently qualified. He must have been a person who stood out even in the artillery unit.

“Go now.”

Despite Philius’s cold dismissal, John expressed utmost courtesy.

“Thank you for your grace.”

John, straightening his deeply bowed waist, left the room quickly.

As soon as the sound of the door closing was heard, I placed my hand on Philius’s back. It happened almost simultaneously that he hugged me.

Philius buried his nose in my hair and inhaled deeply. I hugged his back harder. Through the chests touching, I felt his heart beating vigorously.

“You can’t save everyone.”

At my clumsy comfort, Philius shook his head.

“I only think of you. I’m angry at Linton for making things more complicated.”

“Angry at not noticing in advance too?”

“…Correct.”

The time when I left him alone in the banquet hall came to mind. The time when I thought us comforting each other would only make each other’s wounds fester more.

The time of the unforgettable first kiss.

How much have we changed from then?

“I have to change the planned order.”

Philius said in a firm voice.