Chapter 42: Unimportant Truth? Case Closed!

For the following time, the investigation team did not rush to talk to Roko.

They split into several groups, with some under Karen's leadership carefully surveying every corner of Vanguard Valley.

Questioning guards, observing slaves, and evaluating the territory's defensive strength.

Another group went to the valley where Baron Carter was attacked to investigate, although that place had long been cleaned up by Leo and Bane's men.

The residents and soldiers of Vanguard Valley could feel the tense atmosphere permeating the air.

Those knights from the Royal Capital exerted immense pressure invisibly.

Within the investigation team, members were also communicating privately.

"Captain, this Vanguard Valley doesn't look like there's anything unusual!"

A Great Knight said to Karen in a low voice.

"The defense is a bit rigorous, but it is a pioneer territory after all, which is understandable."

Another person chimed in.

"We also carefully checked the location where Baron Carter was attacked."

"Except for a large amount of blood and traces of fighting, we didn't find any useful clues."

"The method was clean and neat, like the work of experienced horse bandits."

"It's just that the timing is too coincidental..."

Karen's gaze was deep, looking at Roko, who was directing slaves to build the city wall in the distance.

"Just had a deadly feud with Baron Carter, and Baron Carter died on the way here."

"Moreover, the horse bandits capable of wiping out Baron Carter and his allies of nearly two thousand people are not simple."

"In the entire Xin Feng Province, there are only a few bandit groups with such strength, and there have been no reports of their large-scale activities recently."

A knight frowned.

"Does the Captain mean that the attackers might not be real horse bandits?"

Karen didn't answer directly, just snorted coldly.

"Full of doubts."

"However, we have no evidence."

Three days passed in a flash, and the investigation yielded nothing.

Karen knew he couldn't wait any longer.

He decided to talk to this son of Marquis Livis in person.

This evening, Roko was invited to the investigation team's temporary station.

Inside a relatively spacious wooden house, Karen sat in the main seat, with two burly knights standing beside him.

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

It was as if the air had frozen.

Roko sat down opposite Karen composedly, with Fula standing quietly behind him, her small hands clenching slightly.

"Young Master Roko, sorry for the disturbance these past few days."

Karen spoke first, his tone still cold.

Roko smiled.

"Lord Karen is too polite; cooperating with the investigation is what should be done."

Karen's sharp gaze stared tightly at Roko.

"Then I will get straight to the point."

"Regarding the death of Baron Carter, what is Young Master Roko's view?"

A hint of just-right surprise appeared on Roko's face, then turned to regret.

"I was also very shocked by the news of Baron Carter's death."

"Although I did have some unhappiness with him before because of some territory pioneering friction, and even had small-scale conflicts."

He frankly admitted the contradiction with Carter.

"But regardless, he was also a noble conferred by the Kingdom, and dying miserably in the hands of horse bandits is truly regrettable."

"The public security of Xin Feng Province is indeed worrying!"

His answer was watertight, clearing himself completely, and even complaining about the province's public security.

Karen was expressionless.

"Where was Young Master Roko on the night Baron Carter was attacked?"

Roko answered frankly.

"That night, I was supervising the construction of the castle in the territory, and many people can testify."

"After all, the territory is newly built and business is busy, so I really have no time to care about other things."

Karen continued to press.

"I heard that Young Master Roko once captured Baron Carter's son Morris not long ago and extorted a large ransom?"

Roko nodded and admitted.

"That is indeed the case."

"At that time, Baron Carter sent people to attack my gold mine camp first, and I was forced to counterattack before I caught Morris."

"As for the ransom, it was also to compensate for our losses, and both sides signed a Kingdom contract; Duke Auston should have heard about this matter."

He attributed the cause of the matter to Carter and brought out Duke Auston and the Kingdom contract.

Karen was silent for a moment, seemingly digesting Roko's words.

Roko's answer admitted the conflict, admitted the contradiction, and even admitted the extortion.

These were all "truths" that could be verified.

But on the key issue of Carter's death, he flatly denied it and pushed everything onto "horse bandits."

Moreover, his attitude was too calm, and no flaws could be found.

Karen asked a few more questions, involving troop mobilization, his relationship with his two uncles, and so on.

Roko answered them all calmly, mixing truth with falsehood, combining reality with illusion.

Complete lies are easily exposed, but lies mixed with truth are the hardest to distinguish.

The questioning lasted for nearly an hour.

Finally, Karen waved his hand.

"Alright, let's stop here for today."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Young Master Roko."

Roko stood up and bowed slightly.

"Duty-bound."

"If you lords have no other instructions, I will take my leave first."

After saying this, he took Fula and left the wooden house composedly.

Watching Roko's retreating back, a silver-armored knight in the wooden house couldn't help but say.

"Captain, this lad is too calm, he doesn't look like an eighteen-year-old young man at all!"

"And his answers almost have no loopholes."

Karen's eyes were gloomy.

"The more so, the greater the suspicion."

"But many things he said, we have verified, are facts."

"As for whether he participated in the attack, we have no direct evidence."

Another knight sighed.

"Without evidence, what can we do?"

"We can't just accuse the son of a Marquis out of thin air, can we?"

Karen was silent, his fingers tapping the table unconsciously.

The Raymond family.

This powerful Marquis family entrenched in the southern and border areas of the Kingdom, even some big figures in the Royal Capital are unwilling to offend easily.

And this Young Master Roko, although only a non-heir, is after all the biological son of Marquis Livis.

What's more, he has two baron uncles who pioneered territories in Xin Feng Province as backing.

Without ironclad evidence, who dares to touch him?

The investigation team stayed in Vanguard Valley for two more days.

During these two days, they still probed, trying to find some clues, but in the end, they still found nothing.

Martina had long since cleaned up all traces that could be exposed.

The soldiers and freemen in the territory also received unified instructions, and their mouths were very tight.

Finally, Karen had to order the end of the investigation and leave Vanguard Valley.

Watching the investigation team's carriage train slowly drive away and disappear on the distant horizon, the oppressive atmosphere in Vanguard Valley finally dissipated.

Martina breathed a sigh of relief, her snow-white fox ears shaking relaxedly.

Hart's tense face also relaxed.

Only Roko remained calm, as if nothing had happened.

After leaving Vanguard Valley for dozens of miles, in the investigation team's team.

The knight who asked earlier couldn't help but speak again.

"Captain, are we just leaving like this?"

"That Roko, his suspicion is clearly so great!"

"Baron Carter died just after having a feud with him, how could there be such a coincidence?"

Karen pulled the reins, looked back at the direction of Vanguard Valley, a hint of complexity flashing in his eyes.

He was silent for a moment before speaking slowly, his voice carrying a hint of helplessness and dread.

"Suspicion is great, so what?"

"Do you have evidence?"

The knight was speechless.

"Without evidence, just based on speculation, to accuse the son of a powerful Marquis?"

Karen said coldly.

"Do you know what the Raymond family means in the Kingdom?"

"Their power is intertwined, not only having huge influence in the military but also occupying important seats in the Royal Capital's Noble Council."

"Marquis Livis himself is a powerhouse at the peak of Golden Grade Knight, deeply trusted by the King."

"For the sake of a dead Baron Carter, who only had some influence in a border place like Xin Feng Province, to offend the Raymond family?"

"Do you think those big figures in the Royal Capital would be willing?"

"This matter was destined to have this result from the beginning."

"Without ironclad evidence, no one will delve into it."

Karen's tone carried a hint of mockery.

"We came here this time, just to go through the motions and give the Royal Capital an explanation."

"As for the truth..."

He shook his head.

"Sometimes, not knowing the truth, or pretending not to know, is the wisest choice."

"Continuing to investigate will not only fail to find anything but might trap ourselves."

"Offending the Raymond family, do you think we will have a good end?"

The knight turned pale after hearing this, cold sweat seeping from his forehead.

He finally understood the Captain's concerns.

This was no longer a simple murder investigation.

Behind this involved the power struggle between the top nobles of the Kingdom.

They, these pawns responsible for execution, would be smashed to pieces if they were not careful.

"Then... are we just going back to report like this?"

The knight asked cautiously.

Karen resumed riding, his voice returning to its previous coldness.

"Just say Baron Carter indeed died in a horse bandit attack, the scene evidence matches, but the horse bandits were cunning and had long since fled; we tried our best to pursue, but still found no clues."

"As for Roko..."

"He just happened to have some friction with Baron Carter."

"Case closed." ===== CHAPTER 43 =====