Chapter 416
by post_apiChapter 416: In Prison
Minister of Finance Rogier seemed to meet the imperial spy once a month. According to descriptions from the Stealth Ants, Rogier appeared respectful when speaking to the spy, showing no disrespect. This made Magic Rainbow suspect whether the Minister of Finance had some vulnerability held by the empire, or was simply a spy planted within the Rollo Kingdom by the empire itself.
And so, following this second monthly meeting between Rogier and the spy…
The next day.
In the central area of the royal capital Sinirka, before the towering palace walls.
A guard arriving for the early morning shift change at the palace gate discovered a man lying unconscious on the ground, tightly bound. A package lay discarded in front of him.
After a moment of surprise, several guards quickly approached. Just as one reached out to shake the unconscious man awake, a piece of paper fluttered from his chest onto the ground.
The guard instinctively picked it up. His expression changed dramatically the moment he saw the writing.
“What happened?”
His look startled the other guards, who hurriedly asked.
“The paper states Minister of Finance Rogier is a traitor,” the guard holding the paper said, “that this unconscious man is a spy sent by the Deta Empire who colluded with Rogier, and that the package contains evidence. Also…”
The guard paused.
“Also what?”
“See for yourselves.”
He handed the paper to his colleagues.
The other guards took it and looked. Their expressions shifted too.
“The signature is… Righteous Thief?”
…
After directing the Stealth Ants to find an opportunity to deposit both the spy and the evidence gathered from the Minister of Finance’s residence right in front of the palace, Magic Rainbow took no further action, simply awaiting the outcome.
The wait did not last long.
That very night, a fierce battle erupted at Minister of Finance Rogier’s residence. Shouts and screams mingled, and the smell of blood wafted even beyond the estate’s walls…
As the sounds gradually subsided, bold onlookers near the residence witnessed soldiers emerge, swords guiding the bound Minister of Finance. His hands were tied, he was covered in blood, his face ashen.
Not only Rogier, but family members, private soldiers, and servants who hadn’t been killed were also bound and roughly shoved out the main gate by the soldiers.
Among them was the noble girl Yuli. Strikingly different from her haughty demeanor seen previously at the academy, she now looked deathly pale, her eyes filled with despair, her hands and feet trembling – clearly terrified.
Following the battle, the area surrounding the Minister of Finance’s residence was temporarily sealed off. Nearby residents and onlookers were gagged, forbidden to spread news of Rogier’s downfall.
Witnessing this, one Stealth Ant carried the news towards the academy, while the others followed discreetly.
They saw Rogier, his family, and servants locked in prison.
Over the following days…
Subjected to endless torture, Rogier and the imperial spy revealed all they knew. The first information extracted concerned other imperial spies and kingdom traitors still operating within the royal capital.
Armed with this list of names, the soldiers immediately dispatched teams to arrest the traitors and imperial spies, thus purging a group of “parasites” from the kingdom.
The name “Righteous Thief” even entered the king’s awareness because of this major purge.
While furious that the Deta Empire had infiltrated his highest ministerial ranks, the king simultaneously developed interest, a degree of fondness, and considerable wariness towards the mysterious “Righteous Thief.”
How could someone stealthily gather such hidden evidence from the Minister of Finance’s residence and bring it before the palace without leaving a trace?
Who exactly is this so-called righteous thief? Is their goal truly to rob the rich to aid the poor?
Nevertheless, this individual refrained from targeting the palace itself, and this time rendered such immense service to the kingdom…
After pondering for a while, the king, ultimately unable to unravel the mystery, could only shake his head. He then ordered the law enforcement department to revoke the public wanted notice for the “righteous thief,” instructing them instead to investigate covertly.
Clearly, he was destined for disappointment, for after Rogier’s arrest, the Stealth Ants ceased their “rob from the rich, give to the poor” activities.
As for Rogier.
Magic Rainbow learned of his fate and that of his family through the Stealth Ants.
Once the kingdom extracted the desired intelligence, the once-mighty Minister of Finance was dragged to the execution platform in the central square alongside other traitors and imperial spies.
At noon, they were publicly beheaded, heads rolling to the ground.
Among the relatives of Rogier and the other criminals, some were unaware of their family members’ treason. Consequently, they were spared execution alongside Rogier and his cohorts.
However, though not beheaded, they were detained in prison for a period to prove their innocence, simultaneously stripped of noble status with all property confiscated by the state.
Yet this was not the end.
Relatives of the condemned entered prison; how could they emerge without being skinned?
Beyond the physical torment of punishments, some faced unknown humiliations at the hands of the jailers.
Enduring torture and the jailers’ abuse, upon release they discovered they had lost noble status, all wealth, and their homes and mansions. It was a plunge from great heights to the deepest depths, transforming them into beings lower than the commoners they once despised…
“Such vengeance will cause her greater suffering than death itself, hmph! How dare she use such disgusting, dirty words to insult Mother? She thoroughly deserves this!”
Hearing the Stealth Ants’ report, Demon Two snorted.
“But come to think of it, it’s been so long since we last saw Mother…”
Though Demon One also rejoiced at the noble girls’ successful punishment, her expression darkened when Demon Two mentioned Lin Yu.
“It’s been nearly three months since we arrived in the capital. Three months without seeing Mother. I wonder what she is doing now.”
After a moment of silence.
“Alright, for now we must focus on intelligence gathering and magical studies. After some time, we shall return for a visit with Sister Stealth One and the others.”
Magic Rainbow spoke.
“The matter of those noble girls insulting Mother is settled for now. Presumably, no one will dare bully you again hereafter. You must continue applying yourselves diligently to magic studies.”
“Yes!”
“Understood, sister.”
Demon One and Demon Two nodded obediently at her words.
…
Following this minor disturbance, aside from Magic Rainbow later meeting the kingdom’s Chief Mage Merleau and successfully becoming his second apprentice, the three girls—Magic Rainbow and her sisters—enjoyed a period of tranquility in their academy life.