A Treacherous Courtier Manages the Empire Well

22 – Ronald II’s Lucky Day

Ronald II’s worst day ironically began with a blissful morning.

“You foolish idiot. You should have done it sooner. Did you ever think you would see your mother die? hehehe.”

A few days ago, he had extracted a considerable sum of money from a renowned noble in the capital, which made him feel elated. He had demanded an exorbitant amount of money for his mother’s medical treatment, and unable to bear the sight of his mother dying, the noble had no choice but to pay him.

As Ronald II thought about his bulging pockets, he entered the main building of the healing sect with a grin on his face.

However, as soon as he laid eyes on the interior of the building, his happy smile vanished in an instant.

“What is this? Hey, hey!! What is going on here? Where is everyone going?!”

In the lobby of the main building, a crowd of hundreds of people were packing their things and preparing to leave. Most of them were commoners, with some nobles from the capital among them. They were all people who still had pockets to pick, which terrified Ronald II, and a healing priest who ran towards him, crying, looked at him with despair.

“We’re all leaving the institution! Your Majesty!”

“Why are you leaving? Don’t you know that your condition could worsen?!”

“Well, um…”

The embarrassed healer and Lord Faham listened to the words of the nobleman who had approached them.nnWithout a kind face, he glared at Lord Roland the Second.nn”We are going to the Porto commercial district. Lord Roland, they say there’s a pretty good hospital in the southern part of Lordlando. Word has spread, and we’ve decided to move there. Your Majesty.”nn”Ah, no!! Lord Leolin!! Do you not know that interrupting treatment could kill someone?”nn”Yes, Majesty. But I think it’s better to have the family’s foundation collapse first.”nn”You might die on the way there!!!!”nnUpon hearing those words, Lord Leolin’s face turned ashen.nn”Your Majesty. Let’s be honest. Our family is crumbling, and we have no money to live on. Didn’t you consider being forced to resign? In that case, it’s better to gamble.”nn”Oh, oh……”nn”I’ll go.”nnIt was only Lord Leolin who remained.nnMost of the civilians also left with a look of disgust, watching Lord Roland the Second.nnLord Roland the Second watched the departing customers with a weak expression, then burst into laughter.nn”A hospital in the Porto commercial district? Do you trust those scoundrels from the southern continent who have been practicing for a few months? They’re the ones who cut people open and treat them with knives!!!!!”nn”Your Majesty. It’s not just here.”nnOne of the attending physicians, who had become haggard, handed Lord Roland the Second a message from magical communication.nn”Patients from various regions are applying for discharge! They’re all heading to Porto!!!!!”nn”What, what? Really? Are you saying you’re going to entrust your life to those idiots from the western continent?”nn”It’s cheap!! Both commoners and some of the nobility without money are heading there!! There are only the nobility who can afford treatment left!! Most of them are thinking of resigning!!!!!”nn”What’s the reason for this?”nnThe attending physician, Chugi-kyung, hesitated, trying to mouth the words, “Because those rich nobles are also receiving expensive treatment.”nn”Lando. It seems like a new remedy called Lando has appeared. Your Majesty……”nn”What kind of monster is this!!!!! The healing school has treated the empire for so long!!!!! How can you betray us like this!!!!! During all this time, we’ve risked our lives, and now you’re stabbing us in the back!!!!!”nnLord Roland the Second was enraged, his face flushed red.nn”This scoundrel!! I’ll go see the emperor!!!!!”nnThe imperial physician treating the emperor was also from the healing school. That’s why the emperor had a rather reserved attitude towards the healing school. Although he wasn’t on the level of Lord Roland the Second, he did listen to what he had to say.nnHowever, just as he was preparing to leave for the palace, another piece of bad news arrived.nn”Your Majesty!!!!! Big, big trouble!!!!! Your Majesty!!!!!”nn”Yes? What is it? Don’t be alarmed, and tell me slowly.”nn”Bang, just now, the imperial physician treating the emperor received a message from the southern part of Lordlando!!!!! The emperor has granted our healing school a special investigation in response to their request!!!!!

Ronald II’s eyes bulged in horror.

“No, wait. It can’t be!”

Adran.

The golden Adran.

He had attacked the healing sect multiple times, accusing them of holding people’s lives hostage and stripping them of their entire existence, worse than demons.

Naturally, his entire faction despised the healing sect. They had no choice but to tolerate it until now, due to the fact that the temple treating the emperor’s illness and the danger the patients’ lives would be in if the corruption of the healing sect was exposed.

But now.

The biggest shield of the healing sect had decided to leave the hospital altogether. Even if Adran’s faction exposed all the corruption of the healing sect, there were no longer any patients whose lives were in danger.

“Go and bring back the discharged patients!”

“But, but the discharge procedures have already been completed…”

“You damn fool!! Go and bring them back!! Tell them they don’t have to pay for treatment anymore, just stay!! We need at least one patient to prevent them from evading a special investigation!!”

Ronald II’s mind was already vividly painting a scenario of the blackmail he had done several times before.

If our sect is investigated and the treatment is halted, these patients could lose their lives.

Shed some tears and put on a sob show.

Summon the capital’s journalists to revitalize public opinion.

It was certain that these journalists, whom they had lavishly paid, would write the stories they wanted.

But unfortunately, while Ronald II was happily emptying the pockets of a nobleman in the capital yesterday, Adran’s faction was preparing to stab a knife into his gut.

Blocking the priests and nuns who were hastily rushing to bring back the patients upon receiving Ronald II’s command, someone entered the sect building.

“Long time no see, Your Majesty.”

Cold, dead eyes that would even give sharks a run for their money.

Long hair reaching down to the waist, swaying like that of a ghost.

Armed like armor, clad in a skirt suit, stepping on the marble floor of the sect with a clacking sound of high heels that echoed like a requiem.

It was Solaea, a high prosecutor from the Supreme Court in charge of the empire’s judiciary.

Among the numerous members of Adran’s faction, she was infamous for her fanatical loyalty and merciless enforcement of the law against Adran.

Dozens of black-suited inspectors followed her, carrying baskets for confiscation.

Prosecutor Solaea read the golden characters written on thick, fancy paper.

“I hereby authorize a special investigation into the healing sect in the name of His Majesty the Great Emperor. Well… you must know it as a search warrant. Your Majesty Ronald II. There comes a day when a search warrant is issued against you as well, doesn’t it?”

Ronald II wanted to faint at the sight of Prosecutor Solaea’s face. Of all the people. Of all the crazy women.

With other prosecutors, he might have been able to persuade them with money and words to only punish him for a tenth or sixth of the charges and be done with it. But Prosecutor Solaea wouldn’t be swayed by money or words. She was the kind of woman who would tear into her prey until it was dead once Adran’s command came down. She would turn a punishment for a tenth into a punishment for a twentieth.

“The charges include embezzlement, misappropriation, and murder. For taking on too much work to collect treatment fees and causing death by overexertion, as well as forcing patients to be discharged and die when their guardians couldn’t submit money, it is this prosecutor’s judgment that these actions are more than enough to be prosecuted for murder.”

“Stop, mother! Stop her! Stop the prosecutors! Templars! Templars, come and stop her, I say!”

Blocking the prosecutors with force was a serious offense, but it was better than the various corruption materials inside the main school building being exposed. The Templars rushed in armed, but Prosecutor Solaea just smiled as if she had expected this.

“You never fail to meet my expectations, Your Majesty.”

“Don’t laugh! This b*tch! Do you really think these prosecutors, who have only learned the law, can defeat the Templars?”

“They can’t. But this one can.”

Prosecutor Solaea cautiously stepped aside. As she did, the army of soldiers began to enter one by one. Seeing the person at the forefront, Ronald II felt his heart sink.

“Princess Karia, please.”

Prosecutor Solaea respectfully bowed her head to Karia, who was clad in the crimson armor that had become her trademark from the expeditions in the Northern Frontier. Behind Karia were more than 1,000 heavily armed Iron Blood Legion soldiers.

They were carrying the flag of the execution of the despicable.

The charging Templars flinched and stopped when they saw Karia, and she silently drew her sword and presented it to them.

“Will you fight?”

“……..”

“Do you not know how grave a crime it is to forcibly suppress a senior prosecutor of the Supreme Court executing a decree? If you want, spill blood here.”

There were only 100 Templars in the main school building.

Even if they all faced Karia alone, could they win? Behind her were the 1,000 Iron Blood Legion soldiers who were called the butcher of the Lennakal Plain due to their expedition in the Northern Frontier.

It was an impossible fight to win.

The Templars lowered their swords weakly.

“I beg your pardon, Your Majesty.”

“Yi-yik!! You sons of b*tches!!!!!”

Ronald II shouted fiercely, but he soon had to shut his mouth. Karia had suddenly appeared in front of him with her sword drawn. Frozen with fear and astonishment, Ronald II couldn’t move. He wet himself.

Karia glared at the scared emperor.

“Your Majesty. Your Majesty.”

“…….Yes?”

“Do you dare to name us as Lendor’s enemies?”

“……..?”

“You’re finished.”

Just because he gave her a name?

Was it worth getting so angry?

Ronald II felt incredibly unjust, but he couldn’t say anything with Karia holding a drawn sword, her aura filled with terror.

“Begin the search and seizure. Leave no speck of dust behind.”

Under the help of Caria and the Iron Blood Legion, the Solia Examiners were able to successfully raid the main building of the Healing Sect, which was known as an impregnable fortress.

“Thank you for your cooperation, Your Holiness. We will determine the sentence by adding the charge of attempting to suppress the High Examiners by force, so please do not worry too much.”

After raiding the main building, the Solia Examiners leisurely bid their farewells and walked away with the rhythmic sound of their footsteps, just as they had entered.

After everyone disappeared, Ronald II sat down without even considering changing his pants stained with urine.

“f*ck.”

These words, accompanied by tears, escaped from his mouth.