The staff members sat around a semicircular table, with Hugo and Andreas positioned at the center, voicing their opinions and engaging in a heated debate.
In truth, the main concern dominating the conversation was the fear of offending the imperial family due to the incident, along with worries about the repair costs being charged to the Council—expenses that would deplete the Council’s budget and damage its external reputation.
Unlike Andreas, who slouched in frustration over the fruitless discussion, Hugo remained composed, listening with a calm expression. But as time dragged on, even he began to feel worn down by their raised voices and petty grievances, his patience steadily thinning.
While trying to quietly cool his rising temper, the air around him turned cold—so much so that the others could physically feel the change. The high-ranking officials and staff, who had just moments ago been loudly throwing accusations, began clearing their throats awkwardly, suddenly aware of the icy tension hanging in the room.
“Ahem... So, how do you intend to resolve this?” one of them finally asked, in a noticeably subdued tone while darting his eyes around nervously.
Hugo, who had been staring silently at the table, slowly raised his gaze.
It was clear they were cycling back to the same point, expecting a specific answer. Hugo, having understood what they wanted all along, spoke in a voice that left no room for further discussion.
“Since I brought him in, I’ll take responsibility. Please charge 50% of the total damage repair costs to me. I’ll cover it with my personal funds.”
The moment he finished, the room fell into stunned silence.
The cost to repair the damage in the Imperial Capital’s square was immense—an amount far beyond what any one person could easily afford, even at half.
Yet everyone present knew well enough about Hugo’s background. And just as if they had been hoping for such a concession from the start, they cautiously nodded and began voicing agreement while exchanging glances.
“Well, if you’re willing to go that far...”
“Since the Commander is taking some responsibility, perhaps we can overlook the disciplinary process. What do you think?”
“I agree.”
“I second that.”
“However, you should still submit a formal report and accept a temporary salary reduction.”
At their words—quick to relent but still clinging to their sense of authority—Hugo could only feel a deep sense of weariness.
In the end, it was about money. That was always the easiest way to shut their mouths.
As the disciplinary issue began to settle, Hugo’s gaze turned sharply toward the three officials who had been the most vocal against him.
Each of them belonged to noble families from factions opposed to his own. Now, even as they awkwardly cleared their throats and averted their eyes, their underlying motives were laid bare.
So, I’ve caught them red-handed.
Even within the Council, politics and personal influence were tightly entangled. That was likely why, even in this situation, those three had been especially eager to magnify Hugo’s errors and drag him through the mud.
Watching them, it became clear to Hugo: these people weren’t much different from those who had hurled curses at Leonardo in the northern square.
They were just waiting to twist any word he said. So, he gave them exactly what they wanted—no more, no less—and held their gaze with icy indifference.
After what felt like an endless interrogation, the two of them were finally dismissed. Once outside the heavy door of the conference chamber, Andreas, who had been holding back the entire time, spoke up immediately, his voice tense.
“Hugo, you didn’t have to take that on yourself. Why would you say you'd pay the repair cost? Even for me, they wouldn’t have been able to hand you any real punishment.”
He poured out the words in a rush, clearly distressed. Hugo, understanding the sentiment behind them, smiled faintly, as if brushing it off.
“It’s fine. I just didn’t want to get tripped up by technicalities. For my family, honor matters more than money.”
“But if you keep covering for them like this, they’ll start thinking it’s their right.”
“Well, part of the blame does fall on me. I was the one responsible for safely apprehending Leonardo Blaine. Still, thanks to that, you avoided getting dragged into the disciplinary committee.”
Andreas shot him a disapproving look. But he couldn’t argue. Hugo’s decision had effectively kept him out of disciplinary trouble—and it was hard to push further when Hugo mentioned his family.
With a sigh, Andreas undid the top button of his collar in frustration, shaking his head.
“Really... I don’t know if I should be grateful, or scold you for being too noble.”
“Go get treated already. And stop going around flaunting your busted arm.”
Hugo lightly patted Andreas on his good shoulder a couple of times, then turned and began walking down the opposite corridor. Andreas, with his long strides, quickly caught up beside him and asked:
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to observe Leonardo's interrogation."
Hugo replied plainly, giving a light wave of his hand.
Watching him head straight to work even after being thoroughly scolded inside, Andreas couldn’t help but make a face of sheer disgust.
****
Once again, mana-restraining shackles were fastened around Leonardo’s arms and legs. Although he had behaved politely when the medical team approached him right after his arrival at the Council—and had quietly accepted their recovery magic to heal the wound on his cheek and the injury to his ankle...
As expected, they clamped on shackles that were significantly thicker than before and forced him into a full restraint suit that completely immobilized his arms.
Relocated to a sealed interrogation chamber, he sat stiffly on a hard metal chair and calmly surveyed the room.
There was opaque glass directly in front of him—he could easily guess that people were watching from the other side. But inside this room, he couldn’t sense any presences beyond that wall. This place had clearly been built to block all mana perception from within.
Shifting in his seat, he crossed his legs. The chains connected to his ankles scraped noisily across the floor. The shackles were so heavy that even such a small movement took real effort, which struck Leonardo as absurd.
Even while sitting still, the constant drain of mana from his body left him with an oppressive fatigue. So he closed his eyes for a moment, tilting his head back. The exhaustion from days of capture and the draining battle with Agrizendro had weighed him down far more than he cared to admit.
As he settled into the rare quiet, body completely still and unguarded, not even five minutes had passed before he heard the heavy door creak open to his right.
Lifting his head, he turned toward the sound. Five Council officers in uniform entered the room.
They looked to be investigators, each carrying a file. The last to step inside—black-haired, with silvery green eyes—was someone Leonardo already recognized.
Three of them took seats in a row across the wide metal table facing Leonardo. The remaining two, likely clerks, went over to a smaller desk to the side. Leaning back, Leonardo languidly swept his narrowed eyes across each of their faces.
Their reactions to meeting his gaze varied: the one on the far left flinched and lowered his head as if startled, the one in the middle stared at him coldly, and Flynn’s expression was mixed—his eyes filled with emotions too complex to name.
It was the man seated in the center who finally broke the awkward silence.
“Nice to meet you, Leonardo Blaine. I’m Luke Eckison from the Council’s Central Branch, Special Investigation Team.”
Leonardo stared at him without a word. Luke continued regardless, as if he hadn’t expected a reply in the first place.
“To your left is an investigator from the Northern Branch in charge of the Frost Territory case. And on your right, someone you already know—Adjutant Flynn Levernil. We are here today to question you about your involvement in the monster distribution and smuggling case connected to the Delberg Merchant Group in Frost Territory.”
“...”
“If you cooperate fully and answer truthfully, we will take that into consideration. However, if you lie, obscure the facts, or attempt to excuse yourself—”
“Cut the introductions and just get on with it. I’ve already run my feet raw cleaning up after your incompetent Council.”
Leonardo cut in sharply. The investigator in front of him paused for a moment, his brows twitching as he glared back. Without a word, he opened the file in his hands, scanned a few lines, and then looked up at Leonardo again—his eyes sharper now, his posture stiffer, as if daring him to keep talking.
“Alright, let’s begin.”
