As planned, he killed the man in front of the Imperial Knights.
If they had just killed them for no reason, it would have been a problem.
Since he was killed in the name of protecting Prince Perdes, neither the Imperial Knights nor the Emperor will be able to find fault with him.
This solved the immediate problem, but there were still many hurdles to overcome.
It was daunting to try to get over all those mountains, but I couldn't just sit back and do nothing.
Then, in the end, I will be betrayed by the Emperor and die.
I tried to solve the problems right in front of me one by one, so I put my head together with Perdes and thought about what to do going forward.
The Imperial Knights who remained in the duchy, investigating Chernosser's death, were also a thorn in their side.
I was innocent about that part because I didn't kill Chernosser, but being innocent didn't solve everything.
It could have been strangely entangled and I could have been falsely accused.
Especially if it was revealed that Chernosser had gone missing after entering the Duke's dungeon, things would get complicated, so I kept that part thoroughly hidden.
Fortunately, only me, Perdes, Lord Aldor, and Hanes knew about this fact, so it wasn't difficult to hide it.
'Oh, there's one more.'
Emperor, Daimon.
I'm sure it was the Emperor who pushed Chernosser into the basement of the Duke's palace.
It was a great pity that I could not interrogate the man and find out what the Emperor's purpose was.
'Another opportunity will come.'
Because the Emperor was a persistent person who would always achieve whatever he set his sights on.
So, he will probably send someone again to achieve his goal.
...For the same reason, he will also send an assassin to kill Perdes.
I thought the assassin was Usher.
No matter how good his observation and reasoning skills were, it didn't make sense for a rookie who hadn't even been a baby for half a year to be given such an important mission.
It would make no sense if a high-ranking nobleman stabbed his son since he would be awarded something like a medal of honor for completing the mission, but it didn't even make sense.
So, I investigated Usher, judging that he had another purpose in joining this mission.
But unlike the dead man, no matter how much we dug into Usher, nothing suspicious turned up.
He is 20 years old this year and graduated second in his class from the Imperial Knight Academy last summer.
The proud son of the Count Andrea.
His relationships with his friends were clean, and he had no suspicious past or history of causing any accidents.
Besides, they said he had a pretty fiancée back home who he was getting married to this coming spring.
Unless the Emperor was crazy, he wouldn't have sent so many people with so many weaknesses as assassins.
“Then was I mistaken?”
I don't think so...
I was clearly missing something, but I was frustrated because I didn't know what it was.
As I was poking around in the documents I had researched about Usher, there was a knock on the door.
I answered while putting the materials I was looking at into a drawer.
“Come in.”
The people who opened the door and came in were Hanes and Sarah.
It's very rare for two people to come to me together.
I asked them both with concern, as it meant that there was a big problem.
“What's going on?”
“I came here to discuss something with you in preparation for your upcoming birthday.”
My birthday?
Oh, by the way, my birthday is in ten days.
I completely forgot about that fact because I was so distracted by the many problems that arose simultaneously from the end of the year to the beginning of the new year.
“Since there won’t be a banquet anyway, prepare appropriately.”
“Huh? Are you not going to hold a banquet this time either?”
When Sarah asked in confusion, I looked at Sarah in confusion as well.
My birthday is in January, the month of the New Year, and during this time, most nobles stay in the capital to attend the Imperial New Year's banquet and other New Year's parties.
That means it will be difficult for them to attend my birthday party held in the Duchy of Leopold, far from the capital.
Of course, some nobles came here to become friends with Duke Leopold.
The problem was that January was the snowiest month of the year, so train service was often suspended around my birthday.
However, since holding a grand birthday banquet would be a burden to other nobles, banquets have not been held for a long time.
All there was was a small gathering of family members, exchanging gifts and cutting a birthday cake.
My mother was very sorry that she couldn't throw me a fancy birthday party, but I was delighted.
It was ten times, no, a hundred times better to spend time with family than to wear an inappropriate, fake mask and laugh out loud in front of people.
So this time, I was planning on not holding a banquet or anything and just letting it pass quietly, but it seems Sarah and Hanes had different thoughts.
“Now that the train service has resumed, how about having a banquet, Miss?”
“That’s right. Opportunities like this don’t come often, Miss.”
Sure, it's a rare opportunity to run a train on my birthday...
“The New Year’s banquet held at the Imperial Palace was canceled because His Highness the Second Prince was murdered, so how can I hold a birthday banquet?”
“Oh, come to think of it....”
“I see.”
Hanes and Sarah nodded in agreement with what I said but looked disappointed.
I smiled and encouraged them, thinking that it meant they were thinking of me that much.
“Let’s hold a banquet when the next opportunity comes, and let’s just get through this quietly.”
“What happened, butler?”
When Hanes and Sarah returned, the servants asked them with expectant faces.
At this, Sarah and Hanes both shook their heads simultaneously, without saying who would go first.
It meant that Adele wasn't allowed to throw a birthday party.
“I guess it’s not going to work.”
“Well, something was going on with His Highness the Second Prince...”
Sighs were heard here and there. They all sighed deeply enough to make the ground sag.
Even though they knew it would be difficult to get permission because of Chernosser's work, they insisted on asking because they really wanted to throw Adele a birthday party.
Because Adele had no family to celebrate her birthday this year, with the passing of her only family member, Duke Leopold.
So they wanted to throw a banquet and make it a big party, but unfortunately, a big incident broke out and that was not possible.
“But wouldn’t it be okay to invite Count Martina and the lords of the surrounding fiefdoms and throw a small birthday party?”
“Arthur. If you do that, you’ll only end up getting the royal family’s displeasure, and the young lady won’t want it either, so that won’t work.”
“But it seems a bit... to let her spend her birthday alone like this.”
“She is not alone. Lord Perdes is here.”
“That’s true, but...”
As the servants gathered in groups of three or five and whispered, one maid cautiously made a suggestion.
“How about taking a trip with Lord Perdes to change the mood?”
“That’s okay.”
“Not bad.”
While most agreed, some negative opinions cropped up.
“But do you think the young lady will be going on a trip at this time?”
With those words, the slightly heightened atmosphere calmed down again.
As the users cast their votes for the negative opinions, another opinion emerged.
“Wouldn’t it be possible if Mr. Perdes persuades the young lady himself?”
“That’s okay.”
“Good. Since she listens to Master Perdes quite well...”
The opinion that had been wavering like a reed eventually solidified in favor of sending Adele and Perdes on a trip.
Of course, it became Perdes' role to persuade Adele.
It became Hanes's role to persuade Perdes.
Hanes, who had no choice but to take on the task because his servants were pushing him, went to see Perdes and told him what they thought.
After listening to Haness' story seriously, Perdes gave his opinion.
“I understand your thoughts and feelings about Lady Leopold, but there is one flaw in them.”
“What are you saying...”
“I am the only one who can celebrate Young Lady Leopold’s birthday.”
That's a mistake?
As Hanes blinked in confusion, Perdes kindly added an explanation.
“You guys are here too.”
“...!”
“You are also members of the Duke Leopold family, so you have the right to celebrate Lady Leopold’s birthday.”
“Lord Perdes...”
When Hanes, moved by those words, looked at him with tears in his eyes, Perdes, who felt embarrassed for no reason, turned his head away and coughed in vain.
“But I also agree with the idea of sending Young Lady on a trip to give her a vacation, so let’s bring it up.”
“...So, I was thinking of going to a nearby hot spring villa for a couple days on Young Lady’s birthday. What do you think?”
Instead of answering Perdes' question, I rolled up the pasta with my fork.
Then Perdes added cautiously.
“We’ve been working hard, so let’s take a quick trip to cool off. It’s not too far, and it’s a hot spring villa a day’s drive away, so it won’t take too long.”
By listing various other advantages, Perdes tried to persuade me somehow.
Because it's a hot spring trip.
Although I didn't really feel like it, I couldn't ignore the feelings of Perdes and his servants, so I nodded.
“Yes.”
“Really? You promised.”
Perdes' face brightened.
“You shouldn’t say things like you’re too busy to do it later or things like that.”
“Yes. I promise I won’t be lazy, so don’t worry and eat quickly.”
After finishing dinner and appeasing Perdes, we leave the restaurant.
“Oh, Miss. We’re in trouble!”
The servant came running, panting for breath.
“What's going on?”
“The Vice-Captain is said to be dueling with the Imperial Knights!”
If he is the vice-captain, it's Aldor.
But he's dueling with an imperial knight?
Perdes and I looked at each other in bewilderment at the sudden news in the middle of the night, and then hurriedly ran to the training ground where the duel was said to take place.
If they had just killed them for no reason, it would have been a problem.
Since he was killed in the name of protecting Prince Perdes, neither the Imperial Knights nor the Emperor will be able to find fault with him.
This solved the immediate problem, but there were still many hurdles to overcome.
It was daunting to try to get over all those mountains, but I couldn't just sit back and do nothing.
Then, in the end, I will be betrayed by the Emperor and die.
I tried to solve the problems right in front of me one by one, so I put my head together with Perdes and thought about what to do going forward.
The Imperial Knights who remained in the duchy, investigating Chernosser's death, were also a thorn in their side.
I was innocent about that part because I didn't kill Chernosser, but being innocent didn't solve everything.
It could have been strangely entangled and I could have been falsely accused.
Especially if it was revealed that Chernosser had gone missing after entering the Duke's dungeon, things would get complicated, so I kept that part thoroughly hidden.
Fortunately, only me, Perdes, Lord Aldor, and Hanes knew about this fact, so it wasn't difficult to hide it.
'Oh, there's one more.'
Emperor, Daimon.
I'm sure it was the Emperor who pushed Chernosser into the basement of the Duke's palace.
It was a great pity that I could not interrogate the man and find out what the Emperor's purpose was.
'Another opportunity will come.'
Because the Emperor was a persistent person who would always achieve whatever he set his sights on.
So, he will probably send someone again to achieve his goal.
...For the same reason, he will also send an assassin to kill Perdes.
I thought the assassin was Usher.
No matter how good his observation and reasoning skills were, it didn't make sense for a rookie who hadn't even been a baby for half a year to be given such an important mission.
It would make no sense if a high-ranking nobleman stabbed his son since he would be awarded something like a medal of honor for completing the mission, but it didn't even make sense.
So, I investigated Usher, judging that he had another purpose in joining this mission.
But unlike the dead man, no matter how much we dug into Usher, nothing suspicious turned up.
He is 20 years old this year and graduated second in his class from the Imperial Knight Academy last summer.
The proud son of the Count Andrea.
His relationships with his friends were clean, and he had no suspicious past or history of causing any accidents.
Besides, they said he had a pretty fiancée back home who he was getting married to this coming spring.
Unless the Emperor was crazy, he wouldn't have sent so many people with so many weaknesses as assassins.
“Then was I mistaken?”
I don't think so...
I was clearly missing something, but I was frustrated because I didn't know what it was.
As I was poking around in the documents I had researched about Usher, there was a knock on the door.
I answered while putting the materials I was looking at into a drawer.
“Come in.”
The people who opened the door and came in were Hanes and Sarah.
It's very rare for two people to come to me together.
I asked them both with concern, as it meant that there was a big problem.
“What's going on?”
“I came here to discuss something with you in preparation for your upcoming birthday.”
My birthday?
Oh, by the way, my birthday is in ten days.
I completely forgot about that fact because I was so distracted by the many problems that arose simultaneously from the end of the year to the beginning of the new year.
“Since there won’t be a banquet anyway, prepare appropriately.”
“Huh? Are you not going to hold a banquet this time either?”
When Sarah asked in confusion, I looked at Sarah in confusion as well.
My birthday is in January, the month of the New Year, and during this time, most nobles stay in the capital to attend the Imperial New Year's banquet and other New Year's parties.
That means it will be difficult for them to attend my birthday party held in the Duchy of Leopold, far from the capital.
Of course, some nobles came here to become friends with Duke Leopold.
The problem was that January was the snowiest month of the year, so train service was often suspended around my birthday.
However, since holding a grand birthday banquet would be a burden to other nobles, banquets have not been held for a long time.
All there was was a small gathering of family members, exchanging gifts and cutting a birthday cake.
My mother was very sorry that she couldn't throw me a fancy birthday party, but I was delighted.
It was ten times, no, a hundred times better to spend time with family than to wear an inappropriate, fake mask and laugh out loud in front of people.
So this time, I was planning on not holding a banquet or anything and just letting it pass quietly, but it seems Sarah and Hanes had different thoughts.
“Now that the train service has resumed, how about having a banquet, Miss?”
“That’s right. Opportunities like this don’t come often, Miss.”
Sure, it's a rare opportunity to run a train on my birthday...
“The New Year’s banquet held at the Imperial Palace was canceled because His Highness the Second Prince was murdered, so how can I hold a birthday banquet?”
“Oh, come to think of it....”
“I see.”
Hanes and Sarah nodded in agreement with what I said but looked disappointed.
I smiled and encouraged them, thinking that it meant they were thinking of me that much.
“Let’s hold a banquet when the next opportunity comes, and let’s just get through this quietly.”
***
“What happened, butler?”
When Hanes and Sarah returned, the servants asked them with expectant faces.
At this, Sarah and Hanes both shook their heads simultaneously, without saying who would go first.
It meant that Adele wasn't allowed to throw a birthday party.
“I guess it’s not going to work.”
“Well, something was going on with His Highness the Second Prince...”
Sighs were heard here and there. They all sighed deeply enough to make the ground sag.
Even though they knew it would be difficult to get permission because of Chernosser's work, they insisted on asking because they really wanted to throw Adele a birthday party.
Because Adele had no family to celebrate her birthday this year, with the passing of her only family member, Duke Leopold.
So they wanted to throw a banquet and make it a big party, but unfortunately, a big incident broke out and that was not possible.
“But wouldn’t it be okay to invite Count Martina and the lords of the surrounding fiefdoms and throw a small birthday party?”
“Arthur. If you do that, you’ll only end up getting the royal family’s displeasure, and the young lady won’t want it either, so that won’t work.”
“But it seems a bit... to let her spend her birthday alone like this.”
“She is not alone. Lord Perdes is here.”
“That’s true, but...”
As the servants gathered in groups of three or five and whispered, one maid cautiously made a suggestion.
“How about taking a trip with Lord Perdes to change the mood?”
“That’s okay.”
“Not bad.”
While most agreed, some negative opinions cropped up.
“But do you think the young lady will be going on a trip at this time?”
With those words, the slightly heightened atmosphere calmed down again.
As the users cast their votes for the negative opinions, another opinion emerged.
“Wouldn’t it be possible if Mr. Perdes persuades the young lady himself?”
“That’s okay.”
“Good. Since she listens to Master Perdes quite well...”
The opinion that had been wavering like a reed eventually solidified in favor of sending Adele and Perdes on a trip.
Of course, it became Perdes' role to persuade Adele.
It became Hanes's role to persuade Perdes.
Hanes, who had no choice but to take on the task because his servants were pushing him, went to see Perdes and told him what they thought.
After listening to Haness' story seriously, Perdes gave his opinion.
“I understand your thoughts and feelings about Lady Leopold, but there is one flaw in them.”
“What are you saying...”
“I am the only one who can celebrate Young Lady Leopold’s birthday.”
That's a mistake?
As Hanes blinked in confusion, Perdes kindly added an explanation.
“You guys are here too.”
“...!”
“You are also members of the Duke Leopold family, so you have the right to celebrate Lady Leopold’s birthday.”
“Lord Perdes...”
When Hanes, moved by those words, looked at him with tears in his eyes, Perdes, who felt embarrassed for no reason, turned his head away and coughed in vain.
“But I also agree with the idea of sending Young Lady on a trip to give her a vacation, so let’s bring it up.”
***
“...So, I was thinking of going to a nearby hot spring villa for a couple days on Young Lady’s birthday. What do you think?”
Instead of answering Perdes' question, I rolled up the pasta with my fork.
Then Perdes added cautiously.
“We’ve been working hard, so let’s take a quick trip to cool off. It’s not too far, and it’s a hot spring villa a day’s drive away, so it won’t take too long.”
By listing various other advantages, Perdes tried to persuade me somehow.
Because it's a hot spring trip.
Although I didn't really feel like it, I couldn't ignore the feelings of Perdes and his servants, so I nodded.
“Yes.”
“Really? You promised.”
Perdes' face brightened.
“You shouldn’t say things like you’re too busy to do it later or things like that.”
“Yes. I promise I won’t be lazy, so don’t worry and eat quickly.”
After finishing dinner and appeasing Perdes, we leave the restaurant.
“Oh, Miss. We’re in trouble!”
The servant came running, panting for breath.
“What's going on?”
“The Vice-Captain is said to be dueling with the Imperial Knights!”
If he is the vice-captain, it's Aldor.
But he's dueling with an imperial knight?
Perdes and I looked at each other in bewilderment at the sudden news in the middle of the night, and then hurriedly ran to the training ground where the duel was said to take place.
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