Chapter 151 (2/2)

The Emperor frowned upon seeing a gritty mature noble filled with greed.

He knew why Count Juke had started to rebel against the reward.

A few months back, when Luke took the office, the Count’s son, Darren de Juke, was given punishment.

The sentence was so severe that Darren went crazy even after the wounds had healed.

It was natural for Count Juke to resent Luke. He was one of the people who would have felt pleased if Luke died in the war.

However, he ended up surviving, and not just that, he also received an award for his major contribution.

His eyes were red, not even knowing he was going to receive the anger of the Emperor, yet he didn’t stop.

“There is no reason to overly reward a person that had already faithfully fulfill their duty to stop the enemy. Moreover, you know, Rakan tried to surrender to the Republic.”

“Those are just words. However, it was nothing more than a deception,” the Emperor spoke.

If the north wasn’t devastated and the war went along as the Emperor planned, he would have killed Luke even if surrendered.

But the situation was different now, and the Emperor had to raise Luke’s value.

It wasn’t a false surrender, but he had to cover it as he might receive Luke’s loyalty.

And if the war hero was denied of anything, their so-called victory would not be viewed as that.

However, Count Juke was persistent.

“It wasn’t just that. I also heard that Rakan had stolen the loot.”

‘I don’t get it. How did that pig know?’

Luke was tense.

He hadn’t brought all of them to the capital. He put a few in his subspace bracelet and was going to give them to his subordinates once he went back.

‘Is there someone in the Fortress who is giving information to Juke? No, he is probably just spilling random words.’

It was common to put baseless statements out.

And Count Juke gave a verbal statement too. He was the descendant of the house which had been engaged in the sphere of commerce for generations, and he was a trustworthy figure.

However, that wasn’t enough to push Luke into trouble. The Emperor was determined to make sure that the war was seen as their victory.

“Be quiet! Don’t you know that the Rakan Viscount wasn’t just true to his duties, but he also put his life at risk by entering the enemy region with little force?”

“That…”

“What were you doing when Rakan Viscount and the dead Count Naiman were struggling with the bandits? Were you just adding gold coins from every corner of the nation?”

It didn’t matter if it was the nobles of the Emperor or the other noblemen, not to mention Count Juke. The Emperor wasn’t going to let anyone reject his decision.

Count Juke was a typical ‘cat on a wall’, who used both the sides for his gains.

“To try to defame a man who can’t be praised enough for his efforts! I am suspicious if you have made a deal with the bandits. What is your plan? Take him to the intelligence office right away!” Ordered the Emperor.

The color of Count Juke’s face turned pale from red.

He didn’t know if the Emperor meant ‘take him to’ or ‘drag him to’ the intelligence department. The kinds of torture that would be given to him would depend on which words the Emperor used.

“Ugh! Ma, Majesty! I was wrong. Please let me be!”

Count Juke was taken by the guards and was pulled out from the banquet hall, and the ones seeing him being taken could remember a saying ‘if you stay still, you might still stay in the middle’.

“Is there anyone else that is discontent regarding the reward I gave?”

At the cold question of the Emperor, the people only looked at each other, but no one answered him back. No, they couldn’t do it even if they wanted to.

“Since no one disapproves, I will reward him.”

After a bit of drama, Luke’s triumph was official!