Chapter 42 Digging The Palace Three Feet Into The Ground
-------------
If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Darkphoenix11
-----
Time: approximately half a month ago.
The king instructed the pope on how to locate a certain nobleman in the kingdom—a baron.
This was the same baron who had insulted Raphtalia previously, had been threatened by Jason, and had received a slap across the face, turning his appearance into that of a pig's head.
Though some time had passed, and the swelling on his face had mostly diminished, the baron still felt a dull pain in his cheek whenever he recalled that humiliating moment.
Nonetheless, this did not hinder him from hosting the Pope.
After instructing his servants to prepare the finest tea, the baron invited the Pope to take a seat in his parlor.
"My Lord Pope, may I inquire about the purpose of your visit today?"
The baron flashed a courteous smile. It was clear that in this country, aside from the Queen and the King, the Pope was not someone to provoke. However, there was one more person occupying the baron's thoughts—Jason, one of the four summoned heroes.
"Not for any particular reason, simply to inquire about the injury on your face, Mr. Baron. Is it feeling better?"
The Pope maintained that enigmatic smile, making it impossible to discern his true thoughts.
"I appreciate your concern, Your Holiness. It is no longer a bother. Please, have some tea!"
As he spoke, the baron personally served the tea to the Pope.
"Thank you. So, what are your thoughts on the Shield Hero?"
The Pope lifted the cup, took a sip, and inquired further.
"Please, I would prefer not to discuss that individual."
The thought seemed to frighten the baron, causing him to shudder.
"Why? Logically speaking, you should harbor resentment toward the Shield Hero. After all, he is the reason you've been unable to make public appearances for the last half month."
The Pope set his tea down and gazed directly into the baron's eyes, as if searching for deeper truths.
"While I do, in my dreams, yearn to take a bite out of him, I cannot afford to provoke someone as terrifying as he. If given the choice, I would rather never see him again in this lifetime. Sigh..."
The baron's deep sigh indicated just how afraid he was of Jason.
"My Lord Baron, I underestimated your timidity."
Upon hearing the Pope's words, the baron suddenly shot up from his chair. "No!"
Yet a second later, he deflated like a balloon and slumped back down. "What can I do? You don't understand—Shield Hero is terrifyingly strong. Besides, he is a hero, and there is nothing I can do to him."
"What if I told you there is a way, with a high probability, to eliminate the Shield Hero?"
The Pope's words hinted at a nefarious plot, yet his tone remained disturbingly calm.
The baron fell silent, deep in thought. Given his present fear of Jason, he wouldn't dare provoke him without absolute certainty of success.
"And... this method would pose no risk to you whatsoever."
Noticing the baron's wavering resolve, the Pope pressed on.
"Could you perhaps divulge a hint about this method?"
Finally, the baron could no longer suppress his curiosity.
"When Her Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen held their wedding ceremony, there were two rings as witnesses—one in the possession of the Queen and the other with the King. Though the Queen is far away, the King is close at hand. I want you to secretly hand over the King's ring to the Shield Hero..."
The Pope paused, taking a sip of tea to moisten his throat before continuing, "What do you suppose will happen if Her Majesty the Queen discovers that the King has lost the ring?"
"I'm afraid the future would be quite difficult indeed."
The baron thought for a moment and concluded, recognizing that the King lacked substantial power in this scenario.
"Precisely. Once it becomes known that the ring is missing, in a bid to secure his own comfortable life, the King will undoubtedly do everything in his power to locate it. When he learns that the ring lies in the possession of the Shield Hero..."
Before the Pope could finish, the baron interjected, "The King will certainly take action against the Shield Hero! Ah... This scheme of using another's hand to do the dirty work is truly brilliant. But wait..."
"No, Your Holiness, I'm merely a baron. How could I possibly obtain the King's promise ring? That's sheer folly. If anything, you would be better off hiring a professional thief."
The baron cast a self-mocking glance at his portly physique.
"No, no, no... You've misunderstood. You needn't concern yourself with acquiring the ring from His Majesty the King. At that moment, someone will providentially deliver it to you, and your task will simply be to pass it along to the Shield Hero discreetly."
The Pope shook his head, correcting the baron's misunderstanding.
"I understand now. I see."
The baron's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously.
"So, Lord Baron, will you join me in this plan?"
"Without a doubt, leave this matter to me."
---------------
Time: about a day ago.
In the king's bedroom within the palace, an earth-shattering roar erupted.
"Who! Who stole my ring? Step forward!"
Suddenly, the entire palace was engulfed in chaos, soldiers rushing about in a frenzy. It seemed as if the very ground of the palace was about to be dug up in a frantic search for the missing item.
Yet, despite the commotion, not a single ring was found—though the cleaning staff had made significant progress in tidying up other debris.
That night, the king struggled to find any peace, restless and agitated, and neither did the soldiers find solace after a long night of turmoil.
The infuriated king glared at the soldiers who had toiled all night and barked out orders filled with fury.
"What are you all doing? A bunch of useless fools! I pay you to protect the palace, yet you can't even capture a thief?"
The king, clad in his pajamas, pointed an accusing finger at the assembled soldiers, his voice dripping with scorn.
"Your Majesty, it may not be a thief after all. Considering no other belongings of the nobles have gone missing, it could be a different situation," one thoughtful soldier interjected, noticing a crucial detail.
"What! Are you implying that I lost the ring myself? Perhaps you are the one who stole it!"
The king, consumed by anger, paid no heed to the soldier's logic.
"I assure you, Your Majesty, that I didn't mean it that way! Please forgive me; I am not a thief!"
The soldier quickly dropped to his knees, begging for mercy, but the king shoved him away, allowing other soldiers to drag him out of the room.
Not long after, anguished cries echoed from a nearby chamber.
With this display, none dared speak again.
In truth, the king began to entertain doubts about whether he had carelessly tossed the ring aside himself. However, whether true or false, he knew he could never admit it.
For if the queen found out that he could misplace a symbol of promise meant for her, the consequences would be disastrous.
After all, whether it be a queen or an ordinary woman, the sentimental value attached to such tokens held immense importance.
Amidst his frantic thoughts, the king couldn't help but feel sympathy for that unfortunate soldier, who'd inadvertently faced the king's wrath in this chaotic affair.
-------------
If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Darkphoenix11
-----