Night had fallen. Austin sat in the meeting room, quietly reading a book as he waited for the results of the investigation.
After successfully turning Percival against his allies, it was only a matter of time before they uncovered solid evidence of Warrick and Huxley’s crimes.
For years, the castle had turned a blind eye to their shady dealings. After all, corruption among officials was nothing new.
But this time was different. The two had secretly orchestrated Jovian’s murder, a direct challenge to the authority and dignity of the royal family. Such defiance couldn’t be ignored. If Austin didn’t set an example, others would surely follow.
“Your Highness!”
Axel burst into the meeting room, panting heavily. He had clearly run the whole way to avoid any delay.
Austin set his book aside and asked calmly, “Well? How did it go?”
“Your Highness, we’ve completely shut down all of Warrick and Huxley’s illicit operations. Every hidden network they had built over the years has also been dismantled,” Axel reported.
He went on, “We’ve also gathered extensive evidence of their crimes. Every offense is documented in detail. Please take a look, Your Highness.”
He handed over a thick stack of documents with both hands.
Austin took it and started flipping through the pages. After reading just two, his expression darkened.
He had anticipated Warrick and Huxley to be corrupt, but seeing the full extent of their atrocities made his blood boil. They had abused their power, committing murder, theft, and countless other crimes.
Over the years, they had been responsible for hundreds of deaths, and that was only what had been uncovered. There were likely even more that had gone unrecorded. Worse, their families were just as guilty, using their influence to oppress and exploit innocent people.
Austin was stunned to discover how much corruption had been festering beneath the grandeur of the West Lucozia monarchy.
“Those two bastards…. Their crimes are unforgivable-no punishment could ever be enough for their vile deeds.”
Halfway through the documents, Austin angrily threw them to the floor. His face darkened with rage.
Apart from Jovian’s murder, the crimes listed were more than enough to warrant Warrick and Huxley’s execution.
“Your Highness, just give the order, and I’ll lead the enforcement team to raid their estates immediately,” Axel said indignantly.
Anyone with a shred of decency would have been outraged after reading that file.
“They will face justice, but first, I need to get some answers out of them,” Austin said, struggling to contain his anger. His expression grew even darker. “Bring Huxley to me.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Axel replied and left the room.
Not long after, he returned with Huxley in tow.
After being confined in the castle all day, Huxley was clearly restless. His irritation showed, and his attitude toward Austin was noticeably less respectful than before.
“Your Highness, I have pressing matters at home to attend to. When will I be allowed to leave?” he asked.
“Leave?” Austin scoffed coldly. “You won’t be going anywhere tonight.”
“What do you mean by that?” Huxley frowned. “I’ve always followed the law and never crossed you. Why are you targeting me?”
“The law? You’ve got some nerve saying that with a straight face,” Austin said sarcastically.
“I know you’re biased against me, Your Highness, but I’m not holding it against you. Accusations need evidence. If you have proof, show me. Otherwise, let me go and quit abusing your power.” Huxley spoke with conviction.
“You want evidence? Well, I’ve been waiting for you to say that!”
Austin grabbed the stack of documents on the table and flung them at Huxley’s face. The impact sent him staggering back, and blood trickled from his nose.
“You-”
Huxley winced in pain and was about to lash out, but as he glanced down, his whole body stiffened. He felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
Scattered across the floor were documents exposing crimes that had long been buried -letters from victims’ families, records of illegal transactions, and even photos of assault and pillaging.
Each crime was laid out in stark detail. And in those photos, the man committing them was undeniably him.
“H-How is this possible?” Huxley’s eyes widened in disbelief.
After every crime, he had made sure his subordinates cleaned up the scene to prevent future problems. Most victims could be bought off. Those who weren’t so easy to handle were either threatened or bribed.
If Huxley ever ran into someone who wasn’t afraid to die, he’d dump them into the sea to feed the fish, so their bodies. could never be found.
For years, he had operated without leaving a trace. So, how had all of this come to light now?
What had gone wrong?
