Chapter 99: Evidence (3)

"Your Majesty! This matter cannot be overlooked!"

Alexander Apple, who had arrived at the royal palace, led a group of nobles from his faction to the audience chamber.

"Due to the failure of the expedition, how much money has been wasted, and how many knights have been sacrificed!"

The king listened to Alexander Apple in silence, his face filled with sorrow.

"Even if he is the crown prince, this cannot be forgiven!"

"I understand. When that boy returns, I will give him a stern reprimand..."

"That is not enough."

Alexander Apple spoke with a firm tone.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Your Majesty, isn't it time to acknowledge that Oliver is not fit for the position of crown prince?"

The king's eyes widened. However, Alexander Apple did not stop speaking.

"You must think rationally. In the distant future, when that boy ascends the throne, will he be able to lead the country?"

The king looked at the nobles Alexander Apple had brought. They all remained silent, implicitly agreeing with Alexander Apple's words.

"Your Majesty, a decision must be made!"

Alexander Apple shouted again. The king sighed deeply.

After a long moment of contemplation, the king spoke.

"...You are right. Oliver is not the right person to inherit the throne."

When those words came from the king's mouth, a gleam of joy appeared in Alexander Apple's eyes.

"Your Majesty, we should depose that boy from the position of crown prince..."

At that moment,

"Your Majesty! Please stop for a moment!"

The door to the audience chamber burst open, and a group of people entered.

Seeing them, Alexander Apple frowned and shouted.

"Oliver? How are you here?"

"Uncle, it's been a while."

Oliver Apple's greeting left Alexander Apple flustered.

His nephew, who always cowered before him, had suddenly changed.

His confident demeanor was subtly irritating.

"You have the nerve to stand there so confidently after failing the expedition!"

Alexander Apple did not hide his displeasure. Or rather, he saw no need to.

"You should be prepared this time! Your Majesty has promised to hold you responsible for this failure..."

"The expedition was a success."

Oliver Apple said calmly. Both Alexander Apple and the king were surprised by his words.

"What? A success? Is that true?"

"Yes, it is."

"What are you talking about? Didn't you send a message saying it failed!"

"There were circumstances."

At that moment, Alexander Apple shouted, as if telling him to stop making absurd claims.

"Where are you lying! Your Majesty, don't be deceived! He is making up absurd stories out of fear of taking responsibility for the failure..."

At that moment, Damian, who had been observing the situation from behind, stepped forward and overturned a large bundle in front of the king and Alexander Apple.

A large number of tusks spilled out. The king was shocked by the sheer quantity.

"What, what is this!"

"These are the tusks of the orcs and ogres we killed during the expedition."

Damian threw the empty bundle behind him and continued.

"As you can see, they are all tusks. One pair per creature. Do you have any idea how many orcs and ogres we killed?"

The king stared at the tusks with wide eyes. The other nobles were similarly astonished.

"Then... why did you send a false report of failure?"

The king asked, clearly confused. Oliver Apple raised his voice in response.

"To gather evidence to expose the one who has deceived the state and the royal family."

"Who, who is this criminal?"

Oliver Apple pointed at Alexander Apple.

"It is my uncle."

At that moment, Alexander Apple's expression twisted, but he tried to maintain a calm tone.

"Oliver, what are you saying! Why am I a criminal? Don't you know how much I have dedicated myself to the state?"

Oliver Apple gestured. Knights threw three bound women to the floor.

Seeing their faces, Alexander Apple's face turned pale.

"My uncle conspired with black mages to cause various incidents in the kingdom. He used the pretext of suppressing these incidents to increase his power and influence."

Alexander Apple's eyes darted around. He then shouted, feigning innocence.

"Your Majesty! This is a false accusation! I don't know who they are!"

The king looked confused.

It was already shocking to learn that the expedition, which was thought to have failed, was actually a success. Now, Alexander Apple was accused of conspiring with black mages.

Alexander Apple was a trustworthy brother. The king found it hard to believe Oliver's words.

"Your Majesty! Oliver Apple is making up absurd lies to avoid responsibility for the failure. He should be arrested immediately to uphold the dignity of the royal family!"

"Prince Oliver is right."

Everyone's attention turned to behind Oliver Apple. Seeing this, Alexander Apple muttered in a dazed manner.

"...Sir Liam?"

Sir Liam Bluegreen spoke in a calm tone.

"The black mage here confessed to me that he had a relationship with Sir Alexander Apple before his capture."

Sir Liam Bluegreen pointed to one of the black mages.

"Sir, Sir Liam! What are you saying! I am innocent!"

"Sir, there is no point in hiding it any longer. I heard it clearly with my own ears."

If it had been only Oliver Apple making these claims, it might have been different, but Sir Liam Bluegreen's support tipped the scales.

Sir Liam Bluegreen was one of the few high-class knights in the Apple Kingdom and a dedicated servant of the royal family.

With his support, the balance shifted decisively.

"...Soldiers, listen. Arrest Alexander Apple immediately."

The king gave the order to the soldiers. The soldiers began to surround Alexander Apple.

"Your Majesty, no, my brother! You are making a mistake! How can you believe the words of such fools over mine!"

Alexander Apple desperately protested. But no one listened to him.

Alexander Apple gnashed his teeth and looked around. Seeing this, Sir Liam Bluegreen said.

"Sir, if you are thinking of calling the knights, give it up. I have already taken care of them."

Sir Liam Bluegreen spoke calmly. Alexander Apple shouted in shock.

"Sir Liam, why are you doing this! Didn't you say you would support me!"

"Yes, I did. I truly believed that you were the one who could take responsibility for the kingdom's future."

"Then why...!"

"Even so, I cannot support someone who has allied with black mages to become king."

Alexander Apple was speechless.

"Sir, surrender peacefully. It is for your honor."

Alexander Apple looked around, but no one supported him.

"...It's all over."

Alexander Apple sighed deeply.

"Do you admit your guilt?"

"Even if I deny it, nothing will change. Yes, it's all true."

The king staggered at his words.

"Why... why did you do such things!"

"My brother, why are you pretending not to know? You were the mastermind behind everything."

Alexander Apple twisted his lips.

"Think back to when we were young. The late king said he would appoint the more excellent of us two as the crown prince. So, I worked hard."

Alexander Apple continued.

"Compared to me, who was recognized as a knight early on, what did you do? You just read books in the palace. Anyone could see that I should have been the one to ascend the throne. But Father appointed you as the crown prince."

Alexander Apple's voice grew louder.

"Even so, I accepted Father's decision! I endured! But when that fool... Oliver was born, my patience ran out!"

Alexander Apple's gaze turned to Oliver Apple.

"Just because he was an only child, he easily secured the position of crown prince and wasted his time being a troublemaker! But you kept him in that position!"

Oliver Apple bit his lip. Hearing his uncle's true thoughts for the first time was truly shocking.

"Can you imagine how I felt seeing that? It felt like lava boiling inside me!"

"...So, you conspired with black mages?"

"Yes! I used their power to increase my influence! I gathered supporters! Everything... everything was going smoothly!"

Alexander Apple turned to Damian.

"You! You ruined everything! You are the mastermind behind all this!"

"Then why don't you do better?"

Damian said with a bored tone. Alexander Apple's expression turned blank.

"What, what do you mean?"

"You should have planned more thoroughly. Why are you taking out your frustration on me for failing? I understand why the late king didn't appoint you as the crown prince."

As Damian continued, Alexander Apple's eyes turned bloodshot.

"...Watch your words. Do you know who you are facing?"

"You are facing a traitor. Soon, you will be in prison, waiting for your execution. Yet, you still talk so much."

At that moment, Alexander Apple's anger reached its peak. He extended his hand and shouted.

"Come to my hand!"

A sword pierced through the wall and landed in Alexander Apple's hand. It was the artifact sword, Thornwood.

"Sir, are you planning to resist?"

Sir Liam Bluegreen asked with a sharp gaze.

"Sir Liam, have you forgotten? I am now a high-class knight."

"Not all high-class knights are of the same level."

The higher the rank, the greater the disparity within it.

The gap between the extremes of low-class and mid-class was wider, and the gap between the extremes of high-class was even wider.

Sir Liam Bluegreen had reached high-class long ago and had continued to train, becoming even stronger.

Alexander Apple, who had raised his rank with the power of the artifact sword, was not on the same level.

"Is that so?"

Despite knowing this, Alexander Apple remained confident.

"Fool. It's not time to sleep. Wake up quickly."

Suddenly, he said something strange.

"Can't you hear me? I need your power. If you don't wake up now, we will both die."

Sir Liam Bluegreen looked puzzled. The words made no sense in context.

"Who are you talking to..."

At that moment,

A mouth appeared on the crossguard of the Thornwood sword in Alexander Apple's hand.

"Wh, what!"

"What is that!"

Everyone took a step back in shock. Sir Liam Bluegreen was equally surprised.

-You idiot, what did I say? I said I won't wake up until the sun sets.

"Fool. Does it look like now is the time to sleep?"

-Hmph, making a fuss over nothing.

The sword was speaking. Moreover, it was having a conversation with Alexander Apple.

The bizarre scene left everyone stunned.

But there was one exception.

'So, it wasn't an artifact sword after all.'

Damian immediately understood the true nature of the talking sword.

The unease he felt before was not a mistake. This was not an artifact sword.

'It's a cursed sword.'

A cursed item known as a fragment of a demon was right before his eyes.