\“Y-Your Majesty... Flavia is a weak child. Uh, if she gets startled and gets hurt, I...”
“Shut up! If you have time to babble about pathetic things, why don’t you at least give your daughter a heads up!”
When the Queen began to lose her temper, another maid quickly pushed Margit away.
Margit, who was suddenly pushed out of the sediment, looked around foolishly with a blank face. However, she couldn't stay like that for long.
Margit hurried toward the Palace of Serene. It seemed plausible to her to drag Judith out on the pretext of a poor house. But something was bothering her. Something that would not come off or disappear no matter what she did, like a fishbone that had been swallowed by mistake.
***
Heimrad was standing at the window, waiting for the Duke of Vergy.
Looking out from the Duke's study, one could see the crape myrtle and apple trees occupying one corner of the back garden. After the pale-colored apple flowers that bloom just before the start of early summer fall, the bright magenta-colored crape myrtle flowers bloom as the weather gets warmer. Observing the flowers blooming one after another as if taking turns was Heimrad's small pleasure.
At the sound of footsteps approaching quickly from a distance in the hallway, Heimrad immediately straightened his posture. The Duke opened the door and came in, and spoke as soon as he saw his face.
“Report.”
Heimrad relayed the news from the duchy one by one. It was fortunate that the problem of pirates, which had been a headache for the Duke for some time, was resolved, but a new problem was that the salt production from the duchy had decreased significantly compared to previous years.
“Is it because of the heavy rain in the eastern region?”
“Yes. Even on days when it doesn’t rain, it seems that the water in the salt pans doesn’t dry out well due to insufficient sunlight.”
The Duke, who was buried in a chair, let out a low groan. The percentage of salt distribution rights held by the duchy was by no means small, even when considered on the basis of the entire kingdom. If salt production decreased, there was a high possibility that the livelihoods of those engaged in the salt industry would become unstable until production was confirmed for the following year.
“Check again as soon as possible what the total amount is that can be distributed. We will provide support to those who wish to support expenses equivalent to 20% of this year’s budget.”
“I will do as you say.”
Fortunately, the terms of trade with Delaka had not become more unfavorable. The Duke was busy making complicated calculations, tapping his fingers on the documents piled on the table. At that moment, Heimrad continued.
“And, I have a few things to report about the Count Bloset family that you ordered me to do earlier.”
The Duke's eyes, which seemed at first glance somber, suddenly changed. He sat down with his upper body tilted and lowered his voice.
“Tell me.”
“As the Duke said, we sent people around the Count to keep watch, but there was nothing unusual for a while. However, over the past few days, there have been some suspicious people coming in and out of the Count's house late at night. After investigating, we found out that they were illegal smugglers crossing the border by forging passes.”
“A smuggler? What do you usually smuggle?”
“It varies slightly depending on the region, but it is presumed that they are a group that mainly travels across the southern region and smuggles salt, medicine, coal, etc.”
The Duke of Vergy frowned and sat deep in thought. Judith had mentioned Count Bloset earlier, suggesting that he was plotting something with the Queen. Could Count Bloset’s secret invitation to smugglers also have something to do with the Queen’s palace?
“Let me tell you one more thing...”
The Duke looked up at Heimrad. Heimrad seemed to hesitate for some reason but then continued speaking with a calm expression.
“The smugglers who frequented the Count’s house were the most vicious among the smugglers. They seemed to have close contacts with the gangsters and pimps who controlled the area where illegal gambling was taking place.”
“They’re stirring things up in all sorts of ways. Why do you contact them?”
“Nothing has been confirmed yet. But it won’t be just a social gathering.”
“If it’s a social gathering for criminals, it should be held in prison. I understand. Continue to monitor the Count, but increase the number of people and report to me on an hourly basis. Even if nothing happens, report it.”
“Understood, Your Highness's Excellency.”
“I am going to visit the palace for a while.”
The Duke, carrying his jacket, left the study. Not long after he left, Heimrad also left.
***
As the wind blew, the longest flower branches of the crape myrtle tree swayed as if flowing.
The Duke of Vergy, who had hurried his coachman and arrived at the palace in no time, immediately looked for Judith. She was walking near the corridor of the Palazzo Nation. The maids were following Judith and watering the potted Veronica plants on the railing of the corridor so that they would not wither in the sun.
“Your Highness.”
Judith, who was enjoying the sight of the flowers blooming, spotted the Duke of Vergy walking in the opposite direction. He rarely came to see Judith without notice, so he looked quite surprised. Cheraan, who was following behind, was also bewildered and forgot to greet him.
“Your Highness, I have something to tell you. Could you please take a moment?”
Judith nodded. And after sending her people, he moved to a deserted place.
“What’s going on?”
“Your Highness asked me to investigate Count Bloset. This is the story about him.”
The Duke relayed the story he received from Heimrad calmly and without omission. Judith, who had been listening in silence, frowned and laughed briefly.
“The rumors were true. I heard there is a group of people who are carefully solving the problem caused by Krald... It’s worth knowing who it was through.”
“I ordered Heimrad to monitor the Count family more closely. We will soon be able to get information about the smugglers who have been coming and going recently.”
Judith paused for a moment, her chin raised in thought. Was it a mere coincidence that the Count of Bloset had called in the smugglers and that she had encountered him in the Queen's palace? If not, what could the Queen possibly gain from the Count?
It was an open secret that there were people who forged border crossing passes and used them to commit crimes. The border guards kept catching some of them, but without any reward, they would come back again and again.
But what could such people do for the Queen? Smuggling indeed brings more profit than legal business. But surely the Queen would not have wanted such a thing? So, was the Count really going to get involved in smuggling? Did he ask the Queen for help with the work?
“You said that those smugglers mainly travel to the southern region?”
“According to Heimrad’s report, yes. And it seems that they are not only involved in smuggling, but also have deep connections with the gangsters and pimps who run the gambling houses.”
“A casino, a gambling place? A gambling place...”
Judith, who had been slowly repeating the same word with her eyebrows furrowed, suddenly opened her lips as if to say, "Ah.”
“You mean the illegal gambling dens you mentioned? There must be a lot of people in those places who can’t pay their gambling debts, right?”
"Of course. You can go to the bottom of your life in the blink of an eye.”
“Then, if you can’t repay your debt even if you give away all your possessions... Or, aren’t there people who are sold because they are caught up in debt if they don’t have any assets to sell?”
Since there was no slavery in Rotair, she had never seen such people, but she heard similar stories from time to time in Tien.
A few years before Judith was born, the king of Tien formally abolished slavery and even banned the use of the word slave in titles. However, this had little practical effect in only a few areas.
Even after the system was abolished, local officials and nobles employed dozens or even hundreds of slaves, many of whom were sold for debt. The story of a man's wife or children becoming slaves overnight because they could not repay gambling debts was not a particularly shocking event.
According to the laws of the Kingdom of Rotair, human trafficking was punishable by death the moment the crime was clearly established, without waiting for any other punishment. Nevertheless, there were still several people arrested every year on charges of human trafficking. There was a vague connection between the South, where slavery was still firmly maintained, and gambling houses, pimps, and smugglers.
“Could it be that they are involved in human trafficking?”
The possibility that Judith had cautiously suggested was enough to surprise the Duke. If they were trying to smuggle not just objects but people, this was a very serious matter. Whether the Queen knew about it or not, if Count Bloset was actually involved in something like human trafficking, it was a serious matter that required immediate arrest, not surveillance.
“There is no clear evidence, but it does not mean there is no possibility. For now, please continue the investigation.”
“Yes, I understand, Your Highness.”
The Duke immediately lowered his head. Judith's eyes, looking across the corridor, contained a complex worry that was difficult to express. It was worth it, but there were more than one problem. From Duke Laetian, who she has no idea what he's planning and who's still in the capital, to Flavia, and now Count Bloset.
“Oh, by the way, I had something to tell you, Duke.”
"What is?"
“The Queen called me this morning and told me to go to the poorhouse on Minotole Street in ten days to help out. This is my first time doing something like this, so what would be good to prepare? Something that people might need.”
“A poorhouse? Oh, you mean a place that has collapsed and is undergoing construction. Well... My wife often does charity work, and she says that it’s best to give food or clothing rather than money. Or maybe medical supplies, including medicine, would be fine.”
“It’s medicine... The palace will also provide a lot of food and clothes, so that would be good. Thank you for the advice.”
The Duke smiled and shook his head as if there was no need to be grateful.
“Who are you going with?”
“Well, there are volunteers dispatched from the palace... I think I'll take Cheraan and Mary Anne with me first. And according to the Queen, Princess Flavia is also accompanying us.”
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