Rogero's tone was much more firm than usual as if he was trying to reassure Franz. Franz rubbed his forehead with a slightly disturbed expression and raised the corners of his lips slightly.
“Thank you. I am in your debt.”
A smile spread across Rogero's expressionless face, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking. He put his hand inside his jacket and playfully raised one eyebrow.
“Isn’t it a bit early to be saying something like that?”
"What are you talking about?"
With a thud, Franz’s gaze shifted to something on the table. It was paper. It was rough and tough, folded in several layers, and tied tightly with a black silk string. Franz, who was turning it around without untying the string, looked at Rogero with puzzled eyes.
“What is this?”
Rogero shrugged his shoulders.
“It’s paper. Can’t you tell when you see it?”
“I’m not saying this because I don’t know. I’m not from the Empire, but I know what this is. This rough piece of paper is tied with string. This is the list that’s put in the coffin when you hold a funeral.”
In Delacca, when burying a dead person in the ground, there was a custom of putting a piece of paper with the person's name, date of birth and death, cause of death, and will in the coffin with the body. There was a similar custom in Rotair, but it was different from Delacca in that it was a piece of wood instead of paper, and only the name was engraved.
It was no wonder that Franz was flustered when he was given something like that out of nowhere. However, Rogero didn’t seem to have any intention of answering his question and just gestured for him to solve it quickly. Franz’s expression became even more strange as he pretended to be unable to resist his urging and untied the string.
The paper contained names. Not just one or two, but several names, written in order. Franz knew at once that they were nobles of Rotair. One was even a privy councilor.
Rogero looked at Franz's stiff face and chuckled. Then he crossed his legs over the sofa while still putting on his shoes.
“Isn’t that pretty clever? And cute.”
Franz looked up at his humor, astonished.
“Did I say something wrong? That would be terrible.”
“It’s much nicer than having a portrait with a rope around its neck.”
Franz, who was about to say that neither of them was good, touched his forehead as if talking would only give him a headache. The list that Rogero had handed him was not originally a 'list' in the sense of its intended purpose, but its utility was infinitely practical.
The names written there were not of the Royal House of Rotair, but of those who were personally loyal to the Duke of Laetian. In other words, they were the ones who conspired with him to leak the royal family's internal affairs abroad.
The law of Rotair never showed mercy to those who leaked royal secrets. Franz had no intention of treating them with pity. If you think about it that way, Rogero's prank of writing their names on the funeral list and bringing them to him was a very reasonable suggestion.
Franz, who had put the list in his jacket pocket, sighed as if he couldn't handle it and spoke honestly.
“Thank you for letting me know. It would have been difficult to find out if I had tried to find out after things got worse.”
"That's what I'm saying."
“Anyway, this is certain. The forces of Duke Laetian are divided among themselves. With this much evidence in our hands, they won’t be able to escape at any time.”
It seemed like he was talking to himself, but judging by his manner of speaking, there was definitely more to it. Rogero asked.
“Do you have something more?”
Franz's head nodded up and down once.
“The Duchess who had been close to the Queen for a long time came to see me. There were three or four others who had maintained a close relationship with them... Although they were of different sizes and types, they were all supported by Duke Laetian and were in a position where they could not oppose them.”
“Really? Not a bad harvest. What did you say?”
“Queen Gilsis accused them of providing funds, private soldiers, and other information, big and small for Krald. They confessed that they had no choice but to provide money and soldiers under the pressure of the Queen, but that it was not their intention. Duke Laetian have considerable power in areas outside the capital, and their territories are usually very close to the Dukes’ territories. It is possible that they found another weakness besides the fact that they received support from the Dukes.”
Of course, Franz did not take their words at face value. After sending them away, who had come to him secretly to beg, he needed to verify whether all the accusations were true. There was only one person who could do that without anyone knowing.
"Samona confirmed it, Your Highness. What they said is true."
Samona, whom Judith had sent into the palace early to keep an eye on the Queen, was very smart and quick-witted for a mere herbalist. Judith told Samona to manage the Queen's condition as best as she could, and she gradually dulled the Queen's nerves by using all the knowledge she had. However, she also resisted for a few days, saying that she could not enter the palace because of family matters.
Unable to control her headaches or auditory hallucinations without Samona's medicine, Queen Gilsis became increasingly dependent on her.
While the Queen, who had drunk the medicine prescribed by Samona without any suspicion, was sleeping, Samona carefully observed the people working in the palace and spoke to them secretly, pretending to chat. She organized the information she learned in this way in her head and relayed it to Judith without fail.
"There was a palace physician named Wije who had cured the Queen Mother of her madness on her orders. The Queen could have given him a great reward, but he quietly withdrew as if he had disappeared. He refused to accept not only the money she offered him but also her request to continue as a palace physician."
"Why was that?"
"After the death of Countess Blosset, a maid who had been in close attendance on the Queen told Samona that the doctor had unintentionally learned of the Queen's treasonous plans. The Queen was not in her right mind at the time, so she did not know about it. If she had known, she would have killed him."
Rogero, who had been silently listening to the explanation up to that point, let out a “huh” sound.
“If the Queen has been plotting this for so long, why did she wait until now?”
“That’s something I don’t know. Maybe there was a plan, but there were obstacles before it could be put into action. Or maybe it was surprisingly difficult to make up her mind... There could be many reasons, but does that really matter?”
Rogero, who had been blinking his eyes with his mouth shut for a moment, nodded as if agreeing.
“Yeah, that’s true. That’s not the important thing.”
Neither of them, not even Rogero nor Franz, knew why Queen Gilsis had not yet led Krald to rebel. No one knew. No one ever will know. Except for one person: Queen Gilsis herself.
“No matter who they originally helped... or what they did, they came looking for me anyway, so I don’t plan on touching them until everything is finished. I need to sort out every last one before I think about what to do. That’s the right order.”
In any case, once Franz ascended to the throne, it was imperative to reorganize the power of the capital's nobles. Those who cooperated with him, including the Duke of Laetian, must have been anxious because they were worried about such an outcome. That's why they brought in Delacca...
Rogero, who had been lost in thought and tapping his cheek with his fingertips, stretched and stood up.
“Yes. That’s up to you.”
“You were a great help, Rogero.”
“What, it wasn’t that hard. Now that we’ve smoked, let’s just sit back and wait for the snake to smell something and crawl out.”
Rogero tapped Franz on the shoulder and said, “Let’s go,” and took the lead.
“Where are you going?”
“I should go and greet the Crown Princess. I find it more interesting to talk to the Crown Princess than to talk to you.”
The southern castle where the Grand Duke and Second Prince Krald resided was more like a fortress with few decorative elements. It was built that way because it was close to the border, in case a siege occurred, but in the eyes of Krald, who was accustomed to extravagance, it was nothing more than an eyesore.
Krald's stubbornness in building a magnificent spire roof on the right keep and then changing all the interior decorations of the inner castle continued for a full two hours. No matter how much the Duke of Laetian explained the situation in the south, that there was no money or manpower for such a project, and that it was not a project of such a scale that could be carried out in such a sensitive situation, he did not listen.
“Thank you. I am in your debt.”
A smile spread across Rogero's expressionless face, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking. He put his hand inside his jacket and playfully raised one eyebrow.
“Isn’t it a bit early to be saying something like that?”
"What are you talking about?"
With a thud, Franz’s gaze shifted to something on the table. It was paper. It was rough and tough, folded in several layers, and tied tightly with a black silk string. Franz, who was turning it around without untying the string, looked at Rogero with puzzled eyes.
“What is this?”
Rogero shrugged his shoulders.
“It’s paper. Can’t you tell when you see it?”
“I’m not saying this because I don’t know. I’m not from the Empire, but I know what this is. This rough piece of paper is tied with string. This is the list that’s put in the coffin when you hold a funeral.”
In Delacca, when burying a dead person in the ground, there was a custom of putting a piece of paper with the person's name, date of birth and death, cause of death, and will in the coffin with the body. There was a similar custom in Rotair, but it was different from Delacca in that it was a piece of wood instead of paper, and only the name was engraved.
It was no wonder that Franz was flustered when he was given something like that out of nowhere. However, Rogero didn’t seem to have any intention of answering his question and just gestured for him to solve it quickly. Franz’s expression became even more strange as he pretended to be unable to resist his urging and untied the string.
The paper contained names. Not just one or two, but several names, written in order. Franz knew at once that they were nobles of Rotair. One was even a privy councilor.
Rogero looked at Franz's stiff face and chuckled. Then he crossed his legs over the sofa while still putting on his shoes.
“Isn’t that pretty clever? And cute.”
Franz looked up at his humor, astonished.
“Did I say something wrong? That would be terrible.”
“It’s much nicer than having a portrait with a rope around its neck.”
Franz, who was about to say that neither of them was good, touched his forehead as if talking would only give him a headache. The list that Rogero had handed him was not originally a 'list' in the sense of its intended purpose, but its utility was infinitely practical.
The names written there were not of the Royal House of Rotair, but of those who were personally loyal to the Duke of Laetian. In other words, they were the ones who conspired with him to leak the royal family's internal affairs abroad.
The law of Rotair never showed mercy to those who leaked royal secrets. Franz had no intention of treating them with pity. If you think about it that way, Rogero's prank of writing their names on the funeral list and bringing them to him was a very reasonable suggestion.
Franz, who had put the list in his jacket pocket, sighed as if he couldn't handle it and spoke honestly.
“Thank you for letting me know. It would have been difficult to find out if I had tried to find out after things got worse.”
"That's what I'm saying."
“Anyway, this is certain. The forces of Duke Laetian are divided among themselves. With this much evidence in our hands, they won’t be able to escape at any time.”
It seemed like he was talking to himself, but judging by his manner of speaking, there was definitely more to it. Rogero asked.
“Do you have something more?”
Franz's head nodded up and down once.
“The Duchess who had been close to the Queen for a long time came to see me. There were three or four others who had maintained a close relationship with them... Although they were of different sizes and types, they were all supported by Duke Laetian and were in a position where they could not oppose them.”
“Really? Not a bad harvest. What did you say?”
“Queen Gilsis accused them of providing funds, private soldiers, and other information, big and small for Krald. They confessed that they had no choice but to provide money and soldiers under the pressure of the Queen, but that it was not their intention. Duke Laetian have considerable power in areas outside the capital, and their territories are usually very close to the Dukes’ territories. It is possible that they found another weakness besides the fact that they received support from the Dukes.”
Of course, Franz did not take their words at face value. After sending them away, who had come to him secretly to beg, he needed to verify whether all the accusations were true. There was only one person who could do that without anyone knowing.
"Samona confirmed it, Your Highness. What they said is true."
Samona, whom Judith had sent into the palace early to keep an eye on the Queen, was very smart and quick-witted for a mere herbalist. Judith told Samona to manage the Queen's condition as best as she could, and she gradually dulled the Queen's nerves by using all the knowledge she had. However, she also resisted for a few days, saying that she could not enter the palace because of family matters.
Unable to control her headaches or auditory hallucinations without Samona's medicine, Queen Gilsis became increasingly dependent on her.
While the Queen, who had drunk the medicine prescribed by Samona without any suspicion, was sleeping, Samona carefully observed the people working in the palace and spoke to them secretly, pretending to chat. She organized the information she learned in this way in her head and relayed it to Judith without fail.
"There was a palace physician named Wije who had cured the Queen Mother of her madness on her orders. The Queen could have given him a great reward, but he quietly withdrew as if he had disappeared. He refused to accept not only the money she offered him but also her request to continue as a palace physician."
"Why was that?"
"After the death of Countess Blosset, a maid who had been in close attendance on the Queen told Samona that the doctor had unintentionally learned of the Queen's treasonous plans. The Queen was not in her right mind at the time, so she did not know about it. If she had known, she would have killed him."
Rogero, who had been silently listening to the explanation up to that point, let out a “huh” sound.
“If the Queen has been plotting this for so long, why did she wait until now?”
“That’s something I don’t know. Maybe there was a plan, but there were obstacles before it could be put into action. Or maybe it was surprisingly difficult to make up her mind... There could be many reasons, but does that really matter?”
Rogero, who had been blinking his eyes with his mouth shut for a moment, nodded as if agreeing.
“Yeah, that’s true. That’s not the important thing.”
Neither of them, not even Rogero nor Franz, knew why Queen Gilsis had not yet led Krald to rebel. No one knew. No one ever will know. Except for one person: Queen Gilsis herself.
“No matter who they originally helped... or what they did, they came looking for me anyway, so I don’t plan on touching them until everything is finished. I need to sort out every last one before I think about what to do. That’s the right order.”
In any case, once Franz ascended to the throne, it was imperative to reorganize the power of the capital's nobles. Those who cooperated with him, including the Duke of Laetian, must have been anxious because they were worried about such an outcome. That's why they brought in Delacca...
Rogero, who had been lost in thought and tapping his cheek with his fingertips, stretched and stood up.
“Yes. That’s up to you.”
“You were a great help, Rogero.”
“What, it wasn’t that hard. Now that we’ve smoked, let’s just sit back and wait for the snake to smell something and crawl out.”
Rogero tapped Franz on the shoulder and said, “Let’s go,” and took the lead.
“Where are you going?”
***
The southern castle where the Grand Duke and Second Prince Krald resided was more like a fortress with few decorative elements. It was built that way because it was close to the border, in case a siege occurred, but in the eyes of Krald, who was accustomed to extravagance, it was nothing more than an eyesore.
Krald's stubbornness in building a magnificent spire roof on the right keep and then changing all the interior decorations of the inner castle continued for a full two hours. No matter how much the Duke of Laetian explained the situation in the south, that there was no money or manpower for such a project, and that it was not a project of such a scale that could be carried out in such a sensitive situation, he did not listen.
"If we don't have money, why don't you just collect more taxes? What on earth is my uncle doing here, following me as an assistant? It's my castle, and I can't fix it as I please? I don't want to hear complaints, so bring in some suitable guys and get started. Do you understand?"
The Duke of Laetian, who was trying on a jacket that had been patched with fur, ground his teeth so loudly that it made a cracking sound. The tailor, who was carefully shaping the sleeves, was surprised by the Duke’s reaction.
“Your Grace, if there is anything you don’t like....”
“...No, that’s enough.”
The Duke took off his unbuttoned jacket and threw it carelessly. Then he threw a small pouch at the feet of the flustered tailor.
“Take it out. And your craftsmanship is terrible. Don’t come in here ever again.”
The color drained from the face of the tailor who had picked up the bag. As he hurriedly packed his things and left, the secretary and errand boy in charge of Duke Laetian’s personal safety came in right away.
“Your Grace, Prince Rogero of Delacca has arrived in the capital.”
The Duke's expression was indifferent as he listened to the report, but his throat trembled as he swallowed dry saliva. Another plan he had in mind was beginning to roll out.
It was unfortunate for Gilsis, but Krald was hopeless. He was cruel and short-sighted, but the biggest problem was that he was wielding his stupidity without care and starting to dream dreams that were not appropriate for the subject. If he left it like this, he would end up like Tien's Iland. That was the only thing he couldn't stand.
“Prepare to go to the capital immediately. And what about Tien’s movements?”
The Duke of Laetian, who was trying on a jacket that had been patched with fur, ground his teeth so loudly that it made a cracking sound. The tailor, who was carefully shaping the sleeves, was surprised by the Duke’s reaction.
“Your Grace, if there is anything you don’t like....”
“...No, that’s enough.”
The Duke took off his unbuttoned jacket and threw it carelessly. Then he threw a small pouch at the feet of the flustered tailor.
“Take it out. And your craftsmanship is terrible. Don’t come in here ever again.”
The color drained from the face of the tailor who had picked up the bag. As he hurriedly packed his things and left, the secretary and errand boy in charge of Duke Laetian’s personal safety came in right away.
“Your Grace, Prince Rogero of Delacca has arrived in the capital.”
The Duke's expression was indifferent as he listened to the report, but his throat trembled as he swallowed dry saliva. Another plan he had in mind was beginning to roll out.
It was unfortunate for Gilsis, but Krald was hopeless. He was cruel and short-sighted, but the biggest problem was that he was wielding his stupidity without care and starting to dream dreams that were not appropriate for the subject. If he left it like this, he would end up like Tien's Iland. That was the only thing he couldn't stand.
“Prepare to go to the capital immediately. And what about Tien’s movements?”
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