Chapter 366 Not Guilty

"Asher! There are several letters and news that have arrived for you today." Kiana stepped inside of the library and found Lucius reading books again.

"Really, what are they?" Lucius closed a book.

When Lucius was mostly done with the basics of running the re education center and the Diosnysia Brewery, and he only needed a bit of time as it was mostly monitoring, he spent time in the library reading books.

"Well, the first letter is something that both the Count and Countess have already read before they continued on with their daily tasks, Asher, but it is something that you're interested in." Kiana said. "So they made me give it to you."

"Hmm… I suppose you already know." Lucius said as he accepted the first letter and opened it.

"Yes, but please read it for yourself, Asher. I think you will be pleased to know it." Kiana said with a smile.

Lucius read the letter and let out a small hum. Out of everything that he expected, this was something that he took in with a small passing nod.

"So the nobles who wished to organize the banquet for the victory of the Inanis army has finally chosen a location at long last." Lucius said wryly. "Etara's Cross. I guess that is a suitable location."

"Are you not excited about it, Asher?" Kiana said, expecting more of an enthusiastic response. "You mentioned in passing that you could have met the lord in charge at Etara's Cross but wasn't able to."

"Oh, I am certainly looking forward to it. It's an opportunity to mingle with other nobles, and we'll also be introducing Alessa to the circle, but it does occur to me on how nobility tend to slow and linger over these matters." Lucius shrugged and handed the letter back to Kiana.

"There's aways going to be some debates on where it's going to be held and the preparations to be done." Kiana pointed out, but then held the letter in her hand. "But I suppose, you would have already finished all the plans in less time wouldn't you, Asher?"

"Precisely. But I suppose the benefit of them taking so long to decide is that I was able to handle all my personal affairs beforehand, so there is some good to it." Lucius said.

If the victory party had taken place earlier and coincided with Lucius's plan on visiting the Aisse territory, then they would have run in with some issues.

At least, this way, Lucius managed the affair and was able to take on Bergan's Band.

"I think they also delayed slightly because of the attempted assassination, Asher. But I suppose you're right." Kiana said and then cleared her throat. "My next report is something that came from Leif."

"Ah, so it's Arius, Carlyle and Cohen. Good.  In their circumstances I would expect there to some reasonable excuses." Lucius folded his hands together. "When are they available?"

"They will be on standby and just waiting for you to come meet with them, Asher."

"Alright. What's the next one?"

"Oh, this one is the last report I have for you today, Asher." Kiana straightened and handed Lucius a letter. "I've chosen to deliver this letter to you first, although I think the Count and Countess will also be interested in reading this, if only so you can appease their worries and concerns."

Compared to the nobility's seal on the first letter, the lack of any actual paper from Leif's report… this one was a letter that bore the seal of the Church of Duran.

This was by far, the longest one that arrived after some time.

"They certainly took their time." Lucius wasn't the least bit nervous as he was positive that he made their case properly when he met with the people from the Church of Duran, and soon he took out the letter to read.

"What does it say?" Kiana chewed on her lip. She trusted Asher, but couldn't help but be more worried than him.

"Church of Duran has determined me, not guilty." Lucius said. "I've merely acted on my own volition during the time with the Barony among other things… but ah yes, they are also inquiring on the whereabouts of Priest Josef."

It was the Priest whom Lucius sent five Bore Shrews after.

"What will you say, Asher?" Kiana asked.

"Nothing out of ordinary." Lucius said with a chuckle. "Do they have any gifts that can also measure the truth of writing? I hardly doubt there's anything like that and they've already given their response. Fetch me a parchment and quill, Kiana."

"Yes, Asher."

Lucius wrote down a customary response in regards to the ruling of the Church of Duran and also denied any extra knowledge in regards to the Priest.

Once he was finished, Lucius handed the letter to Kiana.

"Please send it at once and also arrange a meeting at the Blind Crow Tavern with Arius and the others. Since they've arrived, I'd like to meet with them shortly."

"Of course, Asher." Kiana bowed her head and then went out to do Lucius's bidding.

It didn't take too long for Kiana to prepare him a carriage for him to leave, and he went out of the Inanis mansion without any pesky Black Rose Knights coming to look for him either.

Once he arrived at the basement, he quickly greeted the three criminals and sat down at the table. Lucius assessed their conditions and they did not seem to be in any sort of great injury, which Lucius was satisfied.

It simply meant that there was another reason for their delay, something that he was interested in hearing.

"Gentlemen, it's been awhile since we've met. How are things? Did any of you encounter anything unexpected while on the road here?" Lucius asked.

"We apologize for the delays, Lucius." Arius hastily said and bowed his head. "A lot has happened. We had to go to the kingdom of Gisir for awhile to stay low."

"There were some soldiers from the Grantz kingdom that spotted us before we could try to leave Viscount Drew's territory, so we had to run all the way there." Carlyle explained.

"Oh, what happened during your time there?"