Chapter 87

“The family documents?”

“Yes.”

Upon hearing those words, she clicked her tongue in disapproval.

‘A cult.’

A group that drains every penny, leaving nothing behind—not even family or children.

If all the documents had already been handed over, wouldn’t it be nearly impossible to escape their grasp?

“How did your brother meet this person?”

“Years ago, my brother traveled across the Empire. He said he met this individual in a village on the outskirts of the capital and became close. Recently, they met again in the capital.”

She found it somewhat odd that the meeting seemed relatively normal.

“And there’s no other reason for their closeness?”

“Oh, when they met again, my brother had lost something and was in trouble. That person helped him out, and since then, they started meeting frequently. Lately, they’ve even been attending temple services together.”

“I see. So that’s how it happened.”

If they had demanded money from the start, it would have only raised suspicions.

Her brother had simply fallen into the elaborate trap set by the cult without a hint of doubt.

“But you seem to know quite a bit about this.”

“Well, actually… that person said they wanted to meet me, claiming to be my brother’s closest friend.”

“……”

Now they were even targeting family members?

She looked at Peramuso, whose face was clouded with worry, and spoke firmly.

“It’s a heretical cult.”

At her assertion, he bit his lip, as if he had already suspected as much.

That’s when she realized why Peramuso had come to her.

Being affiliated with the Imperial Tribunal, he was well-versed in most of the Empire’s laws.

The Imperial Tribunal was notorious for being one of the hardest places to enter and survive. Yet, Peramuso had managed to endure six years in that hellish environment.

However, even with his extensive knowledge of the law, he was powerless against the cult. The property had been willingly handed over by his brother, making it impossible to prosecute the recipients as criminals.

If the Empire had laws regarding transfer and gift taxes, the situation might have been different…

Unfortunately, due to the archaic practice of inheritance, there were no such taxes in the Empire.

This allowed wealth to accumulate endlessly among the nobility, while commoners remained trapped in perpetual poverty.

In any case, since there was no coercion involved, there was no clear way to reclaim the money—unless the cult returned it willingly.

“Were all the documents under your brother’s name?”

“Yes. I’ve looked into it myself, but I couldn’t find any solutions. That’s why, out of sheer desperation, I decided to seek counseling.”

Though speaking about it might have eased his mind, it didn’t change the frustrating situation.

“I just can’t stand the thought of those scammers making money in such a way.”

As someone exposed to numerous crimes through his work at the Tribunal, Peramuso detested those who earned money through unjust means.

She shrugged her shoulders.

“There’s one way to ensure your family’s money doesn’t end up in their hands.”

“What is it?”

“Arrest those criminals and have all their assets confiscated by the state.”

“That’s…”

Peramuso hesitated, clearly uneasy with the idea.

“I know. Once the money is confiscated by the state, you won’t get it back. But isn’t that better than letting it fall into their hands?”

At this, his sigh deepened.

“If we don’t recover that money, my parents will end up living on the streets.”

“Are you familiar with the welfare laws recently enacted by the Imperial Welfare Department?”

This was a law that had received final approval in a recent cabinet meeting.

Peramuso lowered his head and apologized.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been so preoccupied with my brother’s situation that I haven’t been able to keep up with new laws.”

It was clear that his focus had been entirely on his brother’s troubles. Yet, instead of making excuses, he admitted his shortcomings, which she found admirable.

She reassured him that there was no need to apologize to her.

“Anyway, the reason I brought it up is… there’s one clause in that welfare law that I happen to know.”

“What is it?”

“‘Victims who have lost property due to fraud or similar crimes may receive a certain amount of financial support, depending on the circumstances, once the perpetrator’s crime has been confirmed.’”

“That means…”

Seeing his astonished expression, she nodded.

“Yes. If you can apprehend the criminal and bring them to trial, you could recover at least part of the money.”

“Chief…!”

Overwhelmed with newfound hope, Peramuso looked at her with gratitude.

She quickly tempered his excitement with a stern warning.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. Still, it’s good you came to the counseling office first. If you’d gone straight to the Security Force, the case would’ve taken much longer to process.”

One of the major advantages of the counseling office was its direct line to the Knight Orders.

“But you do realize, don’t you? Catching heretical cults in the Empire is extremely rare. They’re hard to apprehend, and even if caught, their sentences are often lenient. To ensure all their assets are confiscated, we’ll need more detailed information. Where did they first meet?”

“The village where my brother first met that person is on the outskirts of the capital…”

Peramuso shared everything he hadn’t mentioned earlier before leaving the counseling office.

She then compiled a report based on their conversation.

“Good. This should be enough for the Knight Order to take it from here.”

Holding the document, she knocked on the door of the Knight Commander’s office.

“Eched, this…”

She opened the door while reading through the document but paused when she turned to leave.

As she lifted her gaze, she was greeted by the sight of a well-built, muscular torso.

The sunlight streaming in seemed to highlight his abs, making it impossible to look away.

Come to think of it, had I ever properly seen Eched’s physique?

Apart from glimpses through his clothes, this was the first time she was seeing it in such detail.

She approached him quietly.

Grabbing a shirt that was hanging nearby, she helped him put his arms through the sleeves and adjusted the collar, covering his impressive physique.

As she buttoned up his shirt, she couldn’t help but notice the way his toned arms flexed with each movement.

“Eched.”

“Yes?”

Without answering, she poked his arm with her finger.

“What are you doing?”

Eched seemed puzzled, but she continued to prod his upper body with fascination.

Though she had felt hints of his strength when she had grabbed his arm before, she was now thoroughly impressed by how solid his body was.

It was clear that someone who exercised regularly was on a completely different level.

Recently, Shaterian had been trying her hand at exercise, claiming it was for training purposes. Yet, her arms remained soft and devoid of any trace of muscle.

‘I wish I had a body like this…!’

While marveling at his physique, she couldn’t resist touching it.

“Shaterian…”

“Hmm?”

Why was he calling me?

Shaterian tilted her head to look up at Eched’s face. Even so, her fingers didn’t stop poking at his body.

This time, she spread her hand out and trailed her fingers along Eched’s arm. The sensation was distinctly different from when she had been poking him.

‘This might just become addictive.’

“What is it?” 

She asked again since Eched remained silent.

Still, Eched didn’t respond. His expression as he looked down at her was calm, but the tips of his ears, visible through his silver hair, were faintly tinged with red.

‘No way… Is he embarrassed right now?’

“What brings you here? Surely, it’s not to harass my body.”

‘Ha-harass?’ 

There were gentler expressions like ‘caress,’ but he chose to use such a provocative word instead…

However, it was an undeniable fact. Shaterian had shown up unannounced, without a word, and had been touching him.

Her face flushed red in an instant.

Even so, her hands refused to stop, and she shamelessly replied, 

“…We’re married, aren’t we? Can’t a wife touch her husband’s body?”

“Is it allowed?”

At his words, her hand froze mid-air.

‘What a tricky exam question. He’s a master of twisting the original meaning.’

Slowly withdrawing her hand, Shaterian feigned nonchalance. 

“…There’s a new grievance that just came into the counseling office.”

“…I see.”

Although her attempt to change the topic was blatant, Eched didn’t seem interested in pursuing the previous subject.

‘Well, that’s a relief for me.’

Taking advantage of the moment Shaterian’s hand left him, Eched began to put on his clothes. Only when he was fully dressed in his formal attire did Shaterian finally bring up the reason for her visit.

“Has the Security Force received any reports about a heretical cult?”

“Nothing in particular.”

“Really? If they’ve gone this far, there must already be a significant number of victims. Look at this.”

Shaterian handed the report she had brought to Eched. It was written so clearly that even a child could understand it, and she couldn’t help but feel proud of herself.

Eched, who read through the neatly organized report, nodded in agreement.

“It’s best to catch them before the situation worsens.”

“Exactly.”

Now that Eched grasped the gravity of the situation, the investigation would proceed swiftly.

‘Another problem solved…!’

“But, Shaterian.”

Eched, who had taken his eyes off the report, was now looking straight at her.

“You’re meddling in dangerous matters again.”

His remark was brief.

His gaze, tinged with slight displeasure, was fixed on her, as though he were looking at a child wandering too close to the water’s edge.

But I’m not that much of a troublemaker…

Yet, given how often she found herself in the middle of trouble, Shaterian couldn’t bring herself to argue.