Chapter 496: 454 The Earl Being Escorted
Meipros Domain, Bessare.
Recently, several rumors had surfaced within the city hailed as a military base.
"Did you hear that the main estate of the Meipros family was broken into?"
"Did you hear that Marquis Meipros dueled with someone in the training ground?"
"Did you hear that the training ground was destroyed for unknown reasons?"
"Did you hear that something had happened to Marquis Meipros before, and now he has returned?"
For some unknown reason, such gossip gradually spread within Bessare and became increasingly intense.
No one knew where these unverified rumors came from.
Nor did anyone know whether they were true or false.
Many people hurried to inquire about these rumors, only to subsequently receive a warning from the Meipros family.
"Anyone who continues to spread unconfirmed rumors will be treated as a spy and punished accordingly."
After the Meipros family issued such a warning, the fervently spreading rumors were suppressed.
Those keen on spreading and pursuing such information, as well as those keen on gathering unknown intel, were greatly frustrated but could no longer make any moves.
This is Bessare, the place closest to the Neutral Zone and the battlefields between two countries. Now, with such significant news surfacing, those lurking in the shadows naturally rushed out, hoping to stir the waters.
Regrettably, because this was the military base known as Bessare, the Meipros family promptly imposed a strict order knowing the consequences of letting the information spread, and those who were ready to cause trouble were suppressed once more.
However, despite this, some information inevitably reached these people’s ears.
For instance, the half-destroyed training ground stood there visible to all. Anyone interested could clearly see that the training facility was merely a shell now, internally heavily damaged and no longer usable. The knights and soldiers who trained there had been reassigned to train elsewhere.
Another example is the arrival of the youngest Sword Saint ever—Reiger Brillhaut. His arrival was so majestic and dignified that someone in the peaceful town witnessed the Meipros family’s butler delivering an invitation to him. Coupling this with the break-in at the Meipros estate and Revin’s duel, any clever person could guess what was currently happening.
Thus, various kinds of information gradually began to be relayed through different channels, some reaching other domains of the Ginas Kingdom, and some to other nations on the Leiblu Kingdom and over the Akasha continent, drawing many eyes to Bessare.
These people were very curious to know what kind of dispute had arisen between the newly acclaimed young Sword Saint, famously nicknamed "Lightning Strike Defeat," and the Border Guardian Sword Saint, Revin Meipros, that had led to so much commotion.
Even the royalty had taken notice of this matter, and in the past few days had specifically sent people to inquire.
Yet, these people would never guess that this matter had already gone off track by the latter half and no longer had anything to do with the conflict between Reiger and Revin.
In such circumstances, the conflict between Reiger and Revin was basically considered nonexistent, and the current Meipros family had no intention of provoking Reiger anymore, as he was not someone they could afford to antagonize.
Reiger also stopped targeting the Meipros family concerning the affair with Ophelit. After that, he moved into the peaceful town, constantly organizing various pieces of information and profits, putting the issues with Revin and the Meipros family out of his mind.
Nipede had been constantly immersing himself in the Meipros family, possibly studying various books, documents, and ancient secret treasures that he had brought back from Maya.
The young Princess Liz had been staying by Reiger’s side, but she seemed distracted and would space out from time to time, apparently still unable to sort out her feelings.
After about three days like this, one day, the butler Nuo Bang from the Meipros family came to visit.
"Reiger Brillhaut, sir, you are invited to visit the Meipros estate. The Marquis has matters to discuss with you," he said, causing Reiger to pause in surprise.
"Discuss matters?"
What was there to discuss at this point?
Doubts arose in Reiger’s mind.
Yet, he still accepted the invitation, and accompanied by Liz, he went to the Meipros family.
This was a formal visit.
Therefore, this time, unlike previously, Reiger did not directly teleport his entire carriage into the main estate of the Meipros family but instead entered through the main gate in a proper manner.
The personnel of the Meipros family seemed to have already been informed and instructed about this, and thus even though they saw Reiger’s carriage this time, they did not, like before, raise their spears to stop the carriage and inspect it.
Thus, the carriage bearing the emblem of the Franzel family was unimpeded and escorted by the knights of the Meipros family directly to the main estate.
Butler Nuo Bang personally came out to greet Reiger and Liz at the entrance of the main estate.
Reiger and Liz, guided by Butler Nuo Bang, arrived at the top floor of the Meipros main estate and entered a vast council hall.
There, Revin, as if he had been waiting for a long time, appeared with Kazi, Axel, and the three Diego brothers.
"Have you arrived?"
Revin stood up and nodded at Reiger.
This was a rare occurrence.
At least for those who knew Revin, it was.
The domineering and strong-willed Border Guardian Sword Saint actually standing up to greet a young man in such a way was certainly surprising in the past.
But the three Kazi brothers present did not find anything improper about it, apparently all feeling that Reiger was worthy of such respect.
"Speak," Reiger demanded directly, "What have you brought me here for?"
Revin did not answer immediately but nodded towards Kazi at his side.
"Bring him in!"
Understanding the order, Kazi called out to someone outside the door.
It wasn’t long before the doors of the council hall were opened again, and several fully armed Knights of the Meipros family entered in single file, escorting a man from outside.
"Let go of me!"
The man was dressed lavishly, yet he was being escorted by the knights. This treatment seemed to infuriate and humiliate him, as he continued to struggle.
"Hmph!"
Just as Reiger was puzzled by the situation and wondering who this man being brought in was, Revin let out a cold snort, a powerful aura rising from him.
The struggling man suddenly stiffened, his ferocious expression turning pale as he looked at Revin standing there.
"Brother-in-law!"
The man cried out and then fell to his knees with a thud.
"Brother-in-law?"
Hearing this title, Reiger was initially startled but then realized what was happening.
As far as he knew, there was only one person who would call the Border Guardian Sword Saint, Revin Meipros, "brother-in-law."
This man’s sister was Revin’s wife.
This man’s son was Revin’s nephew.
He was indeed the ruler of Iron City Karudi, the head of the Hatite Earl family, that is, Earl Ridton Hatite himself.
Yes, this man was Ridton Hatite, Ophelit’s biological father.
"Don’t call me that," Revin said coldly, looking at his brother-in-law with a harsh and indifferent tone, "I do not claim kinship with the likes of you."
Not just Revin, but Kazi, Axel, and Diego also looked coldly at their uncle, showing no familial warmth.
"Why, why!?" Ridton, perhaps perceiving something from their attitudes, grew even paler and cried out, "What did I do to deserve this treatment from you!?"
His words only elicited a cool response from Revin.
"I already know what your son has done," Revin said.
At these words, Ridton froze.
Revin continued in a calm voice,
"In Karudi, he bullied men and dominated women, repeatedly using the Hatite family’s name—and even the Meipros family’s name—to coerce others, causing harm to men who opposed him, seizing women he fancied, lawless."
"Using his status, he accepted bribes from nobles and merchants from other regions, pocketing immense sums, privately hoarding treasures worth hundreds of thousands of gold coins."
"He secretly traded counterfeit weapons and magic artifacts, collaborated with illegal organizations, criminals, and even thieves, supporting over a dozen bands of robbers in their looting and plundering."
Revin’s voice, enumerating these crimes sternly, reveals his growing anger.
"Most unforgivably, he even conspired with an unknown mysterious organization, using the refugees of Meipros territories as bargaining chips, disregarding countless innocent lives to fulfill repeated contracts, allowing the unknown mysterious organization to work for him!"
"So that’s it, no wonder we couldn’t trace any leads on the disappearances in Meipros territories, all because officials like you were assisting clandestinely!"
"Are you trying to say that you knew nothing about all this?"
"Ridton Hatite!"
Revin’s intense questioning made Ridton tremble all over.
"I... I..."
The Earl of Hatite could hardly speak clearly, his lips trembling and his face as white as paper, a look of horror as if his crimes had been exposed.
Revin grew increasingly angry,
"I thought the poor management of Meipros territories was due to the people of the Leiblu Kingdom sabotaging this land; I thought that was the main reason."
"Only now do I realize that this territory faces not only external threats but internal treachery as well!"
"Endangering your people, accepting bribes, protecting your son, illegal transactions..."
"You’ve really done a great job, Ridton Hatite, hiding all these ’good deeds’ from me!"
"Tell me, how should I deal with you?"
By this point, Revin was radiating a killing intent.
Yes.
He was prepared to kill Ridton.