novelraw Chapter 57 : His Highness the Prince
Chapter 57 : His Highness the Prince
Chapter 57: His Highness the Prince
Leon slowly explained the entire situation, including how he had accepted Captain Martin Bouvier’s commission to go to the old junk shop for a transaction, retrieved the money and handed it back to the captain, and then received an errand fee of two hundred and fifty Fenni from the captain.
Aaron Dias and Bishop Beckett listened in silence.
Afterward, Aaron spoke thoughtfully: “Inquisitor Set, do you know what everything you just confessed implies?”
“I am willing to take responsibility for my confession just now,” Leon replied with a taut expression.
“Then you should understand that this already constitutes dereliction of duty.” Bishop Beckett stepped in front of Leon and said, “After clearly knowing that Caron Eso was suspected of the grave crime of heretical transactions, not only did you fail to report it to the Church, you even participated in it?”
“Reporting to my superiors,” Leon said earnestly, “given the authority Director Eso held in the Inquisition at the time, no one could oppose him at all.
Moreover, he controlled numerous informants suspected of heretical dealings.
Even if I had taken the stolen goods to report him, it would have been difficult to serve as decisive evidence.
The only outcome I could foresee was being bitten back instead, and then suffering terrifying retaliation during the investigation.”
“So you did not believe that the Church’s laws could grant you justice?” Bishop Beckett asked in an extremely leading tone.
“I did believe so. That is why I have come here today to confess everything to the two of you,” Leon answered.
“So it was only after your captain was caught that you began to believe in the justice of the law? You were merely afraid that once your captain confessed your involvement, when we summoned you, you would be severely punished!” Bishop Beckett stared fixedly at Leon.
“I just… I just felt that this was the right thing to do, and that it was not too late,” Leon deliberately avoided the other’s gaze, putting on a guilty appearance.
Bishop Beckett clung tightly to this point, which for Leon was not a bad thing.
The more people believed that he was merely a small fry who would lose his nerve over such matters, the more it could serve as his protective coloration.
Pursuing him solely for failing to report would ultimately count as nothing more than simple dereliction of duty, as long as he was not tied to Caron’s disappearance.
“All right, Bishop Beckett, there’s no need to go on like this,” Aaron suddenly spoke up to stop him.
Hearing Aaron’s intervention, Bishop Beckett immediately abandoned further questioning of Leon and instead returned behind the desk.
Aaron looked Leon over for a while, then nodded.
“You made a mistake, but fortunately you were able to turn back in time. Being afraid of punishment at least shows that the Church’s laws still carry weight in your heart. That you could come forward and confess to us—this indeed was the right thing to do.
“The Church’s laws failed to restrain your superiors’ corruption in time, and also failed to give you the confidence to report them.
If they could only punish you afterward, I believe that would instead damage the authority of the law.”
“But according to regulations, he should still receive disciplinary action,” Bishop Beckett interjected.
“According to regulations, I can also rule to temporarily suspend that punishment,” Aaron said, looking at Leon and speaking in an encouraging tone.
“I hope you take this as a warning, do your work well, and strive to offset the punishment through merit.”
Leon was somewhat surprised by Aaron’s words.
He had originally estimated that he would receive some form of punishment no matter what—at the very least suspension or a pay cut.
He had not expected it to be merely a suspended punishment.
This person seemed rather lenient—was he the type of leader who liked to play the good cop?
Yet considering how decisively he had arrested the deputy director and the captain upon taking office, Leon still did not dare to let down his guard around him.
“But if you reoffend, this punishment will still be reinstated, and all disciplinary actions will be treated more severely as repeat offenses,” Bishop Beckett continued to play the bad cop.
“Yes.
I will keep it firmly in mind. Thank you both for your magnanimity,” Leon said as he saluted in thanks.
“Leon Set, I’ll remember you.
I look forward to your performance in the team from here on out,” Aaron said with a smile and a nod.
“I will certainly not disappoint your expectations,” Leon replied.
“Then hurry back to your duties,” Bishop Beckett was already eager to send him off.
“I take my leave first.”
After saying that, Leon turned toward the door, letting out a sigh of relief inwardly.
The effect of proactively confessing had been better than expected.
Not only had he successfully crossed this risk point, he had also slightly tested the working styles of the two new superiors.
As soon as he opened the door, he came face-to-face with a young woman dressed like a clerk.
Seeing that she was carrying a tray with teacups and a teapot, Leon realized she was there to serve tea for the two men, so he held the door open to give her way.
“Thank you,” she said to him as she walked into the office.
“Sirs, please have some tea.”
“Just set it there first, Carolyn, then come over and help me organize these files,” Bishop Beckett called to her.
Leon stepped outside, the image of the woman’s pretty features lingering in his mind.
There had absolutely never been such a person at the Hamel Inquisition before—someone who could directly help organize files.
She looked like a secretary brought over by the two new superiors from their original posting.
Even something as trivial as making tea was entrusted to a personal secretary, which seemed rather particular.
There were clearly attendants responsible for cleaning and miscellaneous chores here—could it be that her tea-making skills were especially good?
Suddenly, Leon vaguely realized something, and his steps came to a halt.
He stood there thinking for a moment, his expression growing serious.
Then he went downstairs, quickly crossed the Inquisition’s training grounds, and headed toward the cafeteria.
At the side of the cafeteria, he happened to see an elderly woman working as a kitchen hand peeling potatoes, and he greeted her: “Good day, Mrs.
Hunter.”
“Oh, good morning, sir,” she replied with a slight bow.
No matter how low Leon’s position was here, he was still a formal Inquisitor.
“Today’s dishes are chicken stew and roasted potatoes again?” Leon asked casually, as if making small talk.
“Hehe, they’re the local classics,” the old woman said with a smile.
“Oh, you should change things up once in a while. A new Director has arrived recently—if he eats what you usually make, you might all end up losing your jobs,” Leon smoothly changed the subject.
“Oh my, sir, that’s something we’d find hard to do even if we wanted to. Didn’t you know? Two people came to the kitchen, saying they’re specifically responsible for cooking for the new Director. They brought their own food and cookware, and even demanded priority use of the stove. So full of themselves!” she said, opening the floodgates.
“Bringing one’s own chefs—quite the display,” Leon chuckled.
“Exactly! Worthy of a big shot indeed!” the old kitchen hand echoed with a laugh.
No one dared to say outright which noble family’s young master had taken office and even brought his own chefs along.
But Leon had already learned what he wanted to know.
He soon bade her farewell and left.
After turning away, the smile on his face gradually faded.
Arriving at a new post, bringing one’s own chefs, even entrusting tea service to a personally brought secretary… at first glance, this might have seemed like nothing more than habits born of aristocratic pampering.
But from Leon’s perspective, it conveyed another message—hard to poison.
It wasn’t that he was seriously considering poisoning the newly appointed Director right now.
It was simply that he had already taken it for granted that the other party was an enemy, and would naturally look for weaknesses.
The new superior was clearly on guard against poisoning and assassination.
Even someone like Caron, who had offended many people, had not been so neurotic.
Although Caron rarely ate in the cafeteria, he often went to nearby restaurants and taverns.
This level of vigilance was not something an ordinary person would have.
At the same time, inside the Director’s Office, Aaron and Bishop Beckett sat facing each other across the desk, drinking tea and conversing.
“What is your evaluation of this place?” Bishop Beckett asked.
“A den of filth and corruption. I never knew that local Church institutions could be like this. There’s a need to rectify the atmosphere,” Aaron replied, holding his teacup.
“The filth isn’t only below. You just haven’t seen much of it yet. And what you need to rectify isn’t merely the atmosphere of this small place, but that of the entire country,” Bishop Beckett said with a smile.
“That’s still a bit far off for me,” Aaron said with a self-deprecating chuckle.
“I will assist you step by step. No matter what, even you need to accumulate some merits to gain the support of those Cardinals within the Church—just as the Earl Foyle suggested,” Bishop Beckett said.
“Mmm. In any case, we must uncover the truth behind Caron Eso’s disappearance, as well as the origins of that batch of new goods circulating in South Harbor County. We cannot allow the nation’s order to be challenged again and again,” Aaron said seriously.
“As you command, Your Highness the Prince,” Bishop Beckett replied in a lowered voice.