Chapter 116: I'm Being Blamed

Ah yes. Another unpeaceful night. There I was, resting at my room (well… the main body's room to be more precise) and Princess Alexia barged into my room with an angry face. I can already tell this is going to be troublesome. I wish you guys would go easy on me. I'm just a clone, man.

"Princess Alexia! Lord Claude is resting!" Said the Crimson Order knight who is assigned to guard my door to make sure I wasn't disturbed, a task he couldn't fulfil because of Alexia.

"Leave us." She ordered the knight.

"But…"

"It's okay. You're dismissed." I also ordered him to leave and he left after bowing. After the knight closed the door, Alexia stared at me for a few seconds before finally saying something.

"Did you do it?" She asked vaguely.

"Did what? Can you be more specific?"

"Did you kill the Thirteen Night Blades members?" She asked with a serious face. She's not messing around. But I am. I glared at her for a few seconds… almost intimidating her, before stopping and smiling.

"No. I didn't. What made you get that idea?"

"Who else? On the same night Baron Grehahn and Count Kuzaya were murdered, you were out killing people as well. You even said you killed two leaders."

"It was merely a coincidence."

"I wonder about that. Listen! I know you think you're being smart about acting alone and killing our political rivals but that's a bad move! They're gonna accuse you of assassinating nobles who disagrees with you! Even if they're proven to be corrupt nobles, assassinating them is not the right way to handle this! You should use the royal authority to put them on trial after exposing their crimes! You're being too arrogant and hasty!" She ranted as if I did something wrong. I struggled not to yawn.

"As I said, I didn't do any of that. Don't waste your breath."

"Tch! Now you chose to be more frustrating than ever before!? I'm telling you this for your own good! Can't you put more trust in your allies and family?"

"I did. And I'm telling you, I didn't do it."

"Then who did!?"

"It's your job to find out, isn't it? You're the one investigating the case, after all."

She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists while glaring at me angrily. She went silent for a few seconds before replying "Fine. Have it your way. Don't come crying on me if this backfired on you." And storms out of my room.

Before she can get out of my room though, I gave her my own warning.

"I know you're fond of that Cid Kagenou fellow but you yourself are putting him in great danger by involving him in this case." Especially when you parade him in front of Gray of all people. "I hope you know what you're doing." She widens her eyes for a few seconds before leaving the room wordlessly.

"What a troublesome princess. If only she's easy to control like Iris is." I whispered before closing the door to my room which the rude princess didn't bother doing when she left.

"Anyway, now that there's no more interruption, I can finally do this." I said while pulling out a small green crystal from my pocket and began filling it with magic, which activates its effect.

"Store memory." I uttered the words and the memory crystal began copying my memory and storing it within itself. This memory crystal is an Artifact that the main body developed to store clone memories bit by bit and sort them out so that he won't be overwhelmed by huge amount of memories like during that one accident.

When I finished with the copying process, I put it back in my pocket.

"But still… To think that I'm being blamed for the murders… I suppose I should pay more attention to this serial killer a bit more. The main body will have a blast hearing someone doing the same thing he's currently doing in Oriana." I said as I took out a deck of playing cards from my shelf, which is made by Snow Fox Corporation.

"This makes me wanna try using cards. Like the Joker? Or Gambit? Or that character from Hellsing manga? What was his name again?" I muttered as I tried to recall the main body's memory of his old life, which is vague even for me. Feeling experimental like the main body, I began injecting my magic to the cards in order to let it float in the air.

The next day I've got a meeting with the nobles in the castle. The topic is naturally about the murders. The Thirteen Night Blades faction specifically called for this meeting not because they're scared but because they are looking to use this to blame me and give me a bad name. I mean, just look at that smug smile Marquis Brad Dakuaikan is making. That's not the face of someone who's concerned or scared. But the main body has anticipated this and gave me the direction I should take, and thus there's no problem at all.

"Let's get straight to the point, Lord Claude. I believe someone who kills his political rivals like you is not fit to be the king!" There he goes. That's Marquis Brad for you.

"Oh? That's quite the accusation. I assume you have proof?" I replied.

"The fact that Count Goethe Moono, Baron Grehahn and Count Kuzaya, nobles who openly opposed you, died is proof enough!"

"Oh? Openly? Really? I seem to recall Count Goethe openly supporting my candidacy to become king." I said because officially that fatso Goethe was on my faction in order to secretly spy on my faction (and maybe to leer at my sister too) so he can easily obtain information that would help his cover up efforts.

"H-He wasn't… He was just acting on my… No! That's even worse! You killed your own allies because you distrusted them!"

"You sound like you're changing the narrative halfway there, Lord Dakuaikan. And you still haven't provided a single proof whereas I have plenty of proof of you and your allies' misdeeds." I said as I pulled up documents that Alexia acquired from Goethe's office, showing the official seal of House Dakuaikan and other noble houses affiliated with the Thirteen Night Blades which are stamped on red wax on the papers beside their official signatures, which made him and his Thirteen Night Blades allies widens their eyes in shock. The documents contain proof of their crimes which they requested Goethe to cover up. They're probably regretting not using a different seal or aliases to hide their identities for these kinds of shady dealings.

"That useless Gray…" Marquis Dakuaikan whispered. He thought nobody could hear him but I'm convinced many of us did, especially me who have enhanced hearing using magic.

"What was that about head investigator Gray, Lord Dakuaikan?"

"N-Nothing! Those letters are fake!"

"Fake? Then how did they obtain the official seal of your family?"

"T-They were stolen! Yes! That must be!"

"I see. That's unfortunate. Then from now on every single letter bearing the seal of House Dakuaikan and others that you claim to be fake shall be treated as fake as well."

"What… but that would mean…"

"That means the seals of your families will not be acknowledged as the official seals representing your houses anymore and any letters bearing them will be considered illegitimate. I believe this is not a strange thing, Lord Dakuaikan." This would mean their official stamps will be unable to be used for communications, transactions or political dealings in the future, effectively crippling and isolating their families from the rest of the world, slowly delegitimizing their noble status.

"T-Then we'll just… issue a new seal!"

"Sure. But we're on the brink of war. Issuing new seals for so many noble families… I count thirteen, at once will take too much time even during peaceful times. You might even need to change the designs of your families' coat of arms before submitting them to be approved and acknowledged as legitimate. Can your families survive until then?" And with my political influence, I'll totally delay the approval of their new seals and coat of arms if it comes to that.

"You can't do this to us!"

"I don't have to do that. You did it to yourself by claiming that these letters are fake. If we're following your narrative, then until your "stolen" family seal is recovered, your family seals will be considered illegitimate within Midgar." I said. All the nobles on my faction, including my father, the Prime Minister and some other dukes nodded in agreement. My faction is still going strong and Marquis Brad is now cornered. I wonder what he will do next?

"You poor naïve fool. You think you can just cross us like this? You brat?" Oh dear. Now his mask is off.

"Lord Dakuaikan. Show some respect!" The Prime Minister berated him.

"Mark my words, Lord Claude! You will regret crossing us!"

"Ah. Threats is it? Finally your masks is off." I said in full confidence. Marquis Brad was surprised when he saw his intimidation tactics didn't work on me and my allies.

"Bah! This meeting is getting us nowhere! I'm leaving!" He said as he rose up from his seat.

"Where do you think you're going, Lord Dakuaikan?" My (main body's) father asked him.

"Home, obviously! I have a thief to catch!"

"The meeting, which you yourself have called, is not over yet. We haven't reached any conclusion from this meeting." My (main body's) father continued.

"It's getting nowhere because your stupid son refused to be cooperative!"

"I believe it is you who is being uncooperative, Lord Dakuaikan. You haven't even answered his first question. Where is the proof of your claims that he killed Count Moono, Baron Grehahn and Count Kuzaya?" My (main body's) father refused to let him go. I must not grin. I must not grin.

"I told you already! The murders committed by that clown only benefits your faction! That is proof enough!"

"No. That is not proof. These letters ARE proof! We provided proof of your crimes. How about you do the same to prove your claims?" I replied whilst pointing at the letters.

"I told you! Those letters are fake!"

"And now we're going in circles because you refused to confess. Fine. Two choices lay before you. One, you confess your crimes, two, you refuse and your family seals will be considered illegitimate as per your claims of them being stolen and until you can truly prove that you've retrieved it from the thieves, and not just conjuring proof out of thin air, it shall remain so. Now choose." I gave him the hard choice. Marquis Brad and his allies are making funny frustrated faces right now that it is getting difficult not to grin like a villain.

"I'll catch the thieves! You don't have to-"

"I would like to accompany you when you catch the thieves then, to make sure your claims are real and so that you can't falsify anything. In fact, I would like to accompany you to your home to see if your seal is truly stolen or that you simply left it back home." I said with a smile, not letting him have any chance to cover up anything. He gritted his teeth in more frustration. He certainly didn't want me to search his home for more proof.

After a few seconds pause, Marquis Dakuaikan finally sighed in frustration.

"Fine. I confess. The letters… are real." Marquis Dakuaikan finally admits it.

"Lord Dakuaikan!" Count White, Marquis Dakuaikan's second in command within the Thirteen Night Blades, called out to him, horrified at the fact that his leader is giving up.

"If we do not confess, Lord White, our families are as good as ended." All 10 members of the Thirteen Night Blades contemplated and eventually agreed to confess their crimes as stated by the letters I provided in order to prevent me from searching their homes for more incriminating evidences which would totally destroy their families.

"Good. Now that you've confessed your crimes, we shall now judge you as per the laws of Midgar."

"You forget something, boy. Only the king can judge the crimes of several noblemen."

"You're the one who forgot that I've basically acted as a regent following the king's death. I and my allies worked ourselves to the bone to restore Midgar capital to order while you and your cronies did nothing to contribute to the betterment of the kingdom following the chaos of Shadow's battle with the Necromancer."

"You…" He is at a loss for words. It's checkmate for him.

"Enjoy your freedom while it lasts, boy. Soon we'll get the last laugh." He gave his last threats with a grin as I ordered the guards to escort him and his allies to the prison.

I didn't reply and merely watched as they left the meeting room. The meeting was then concluded and my (main body's) father walked up to me.

"That was an amazing display of cunning, my son. I'm proud of you."

"Once we have the proof we need, it is easy to defeat them in a verbal fencing."

"Verbal fencing. How fitting. Anyway, there's still one thing that concerns me, namely the killer who murdered the three nobles. Are you not at all involved in that, my son?"

"No. I'm not. I admit that I kept many secrets even from you, father. But the killer clown is not one of them."

"I see. Very well. I'll trust you. From now on it'll not be easier, my son. Even if Marquis Brad Dakuaikan and his cronies are removed from power, the Cult that lurks behind them is still running rampant and will make their move soon. You must be prepared for that."

"I know, father. I know." In fact, I know better than you, for I am one of them. Heh heh heh.

Author's Note:

Politician Claude (clone) is in action! I hope I depicted the political situation as logically and understandable as possible.

borregodillon9: 3 down 10 more to go

Answer: How will the Thirteen Night Blades survive the wrath of Jack the Ripper? Find out on the next episode of the Killer Clown in Shadows!

A-Yellow-Lizard: Thank you for the chapter! I love the misunderstandings and the clone povs. It's great haha. Pooch is being cute as usual

Answer: More clone pov and did he manage to deflect the blame successfully this time? We shall see.

Ever since I started writing this fanfic, I've always wanted to write scenes where Aleia calls Cid as Pooch and now that I'm past that, I'm enjoying every chance I get to write their interactions.