Prince Winston, brother of the late Rainier Rutland Otto Karlstein Harzen VIII, Emperor of Trieste and King of Kotor, Montevia, Highland, and Ohridsen, arrived at the tower of the palace. Before heading to the underground interrogation room, he secretly called his attendant and asked about the situation below.
“What about that Kyle? Is he still holding up well?”
“Yes.”
Winston nodded, his mustache looking sly. The very act of threatening to get a confession was a play. It was a well-known fact to both those who had planned it and to the person involved that Kyle had not assassinated the Emperor.
“I should have left behind some more solid evidence. Half of the Privy Council still supports the Duke. I should have dealt with the Duke’s office from Vintergar as planned... It’s a shame. I missed my chance because I suddenly joined the parade in the city without any plans.”
“Now that I think about it, where is the real culprit? He’s the illegitimate son of the previous Duke, right?”
The entire initial plan was disrupted by the intervention of Kyle in the parade. The original plan was to kill the Duke and Duchess who remained in the palace, and then kidnap the Emperor separately to distract the investigation and buy time. However, the plan was hastily changed to make him the murderer due to the Duke's defection.
But things got even more complicated there. A few days later, Michael had cut off the Emperor's lifeline, and the private soldier who followed him was supposed to deal with the real culprit. However, before the private soldier assigned to the task could arrive, Michael had already fled the scene.
“You mean Michael Randall? I heard he’s currently in the southern part of Scarborough, at his estate’s villa. It’s called Te Deum. I’ll bring him up to the capital shortly.”
“I should have handled things neatly on the spot. I almost got caught. I didn’t know that my brother would keep moving his fingers without letting up until the end. What would have happened if he could have written Mikyle from the beginning?”
“I will hold him strictly accountable for that. Should we proceed as originally planned? As soon as we get to the capital, we will...”
“Hmm.”
Winston stroked his beard after his mustache. His mind was in turmoil. With his brother gone, it was time to revise the law on illegitimate children, but he was reluctant to do so. As soon as the law was revised, the title of Duke would automatically pass to Michael when Kyle died.
That was the reason he recruited Michael from the Shadow Guard in the first place. When he offered the position of the next Duke as a reward and attempted to assassinate him, he responded as if he had been waiting for it. Blackwell's illegitimate son, despite his weak appearance, was an excellent assassin, and contrary to his kind-looking face, he was a dark-skinned man.
But what can I do since the plan went awry and I couldn't deal with him in time? If I just make him my next taskmaster, I won't be able to steal the valuable assets.
The lands and properties could be confiscated by the imperial family under any pretext in the future, but there was no way to touch the business network that was spread out all over the country. However, since it was an issue involving the imperial family register of the illegitimate son, the revision of the law could not be postponed any longer.
“No, I’ve changed my mind. It would be cleaner to just kill them, but I think they’re still useful. The money’s good, but there’s something I want to know about that family.”
"Then..."
“You should know more about his weaknesses. As soon as the Duke’s execution is decided and he is formally imprisoned, I plan to visit Te Deum.”
“Yes? Are you saying that Your Highness the Grand Duke will go all the way to the countryside yourself without calling him to the capital?”
“You can think of it as a few days of rest at a resort with good air. Will he work with threats? Will he be a guy who can be boiled to death? ...It won’t be too late to find out more about him and then decide. Get to know him completely. See if there’s something we can use as a weakness.”
The Duke bowed his head to show that he would follow the order. The Grand Duke pushed his way through the cavalry lined up and headed to the interrogation room. He gritted his teeth and tried to act as if nothing had happened. How could he be nervous in front of a young Duke who was at best his nephew?
Winston glared at Kyle, who was sitting in the interrogation room. He felt like cutting off his head right then and there, for daring to make the next Emperor feel this tense.
“It is an honor to have you come to such a wretched place, Your Highness.”
Kyle murmured coldly. His tone was polite, but his eyes held an unmistakable contempt. Winston gritted his teeth. He looked so haggard that he was furious. Kyle had been locked in the interrogation room for days, but his handsome face and sleek demeanor were not to his liking.
The Grand Duke gestured to the warden, indicating that he wanted the suspect's hands to be restrained while they met. The warden quickly tied Kyle's hands together. Only then did Winston sit down in the chair the guard had pulled out and face Kyle.
Kyle couldn't hold back his sneer. Winston snarled, feeling contempt for the hatred on his lips.
“Why are you laughing? Do I find you funny?”
“How could that be? I was just wondering. Are you afraid of me?”
“What?”
Winston's face flushed and he gestured to the bailiff and the overseer. At that unspoken command, the two left the interrogation room, leaving the guard behind. He was practically a laughingstock. He had sent the vassal away to save face, but he had left the guard behind. It was as if he had reaffirmed to himself that he was afraid of the other party.
“How about you confess now, sir? Since we’re talking between us, isn’t it already decided?”
Winston laughed wickedly. Kyle sneered again at the revelation of his true colors.
“Your Highness the Grand Duke is making the confession.”
“What are you talking about? I was saying that it was a judgment based on the principle of punishing evil and rewarding good. Anyway, Sir, if you behave yourself to me even now, I might give you special leniency.”
The Grand Duke lowered his tone. If Kyle joins his side and becomes his dog, and if he gives up the Duke's wealth and influence as much as he demands, he will grant him a special pardon due to insufficient evidence. Kyle was not so foolish as to not know what he meant. But he pretended not to know.
“Please be straightforward, Your Highness.”
“Besides, Duke, that is what you knew. Isn’t there a great secret in your family? A wondrous method to immortality? I heard it clearly from my older brother when he was drunk.”
Kyle's eyes sparkled with life. Winston flinched involuntarily, his voice trembling.
“Duke. It is a well-known fact that I will soon be sitting on the throne. Then there is nothing for me to fear. I can find out any secret or anecdote, by any means necessary.”
“Then, will you have the courage to talk to me alone then?”
"What...?"
“The throne doesn’t change the fundamental nature of a person. You can’t even be alone with me, so why are you talking about the throne...”
Before Kyle could finish his sentence, there was a thud and blood gushed out from his cheek. The punch was not from Winston but from the guard standing nearby.
Kyle snickered and sneered, but the guard didn't even look at him. After all, he was just a loyal dog following his master's orders. He didn't know that his master was not worth following.
“See? Even though I’m no match for you and can’t do anything directly, it doesn’t matter. I can use their hands and feet like this to crush you. Haha.”
Kyle's composure did not wane. He spat blood between the guard and Winston. The guard tried to stop him quickly, but Kyle was a little faster. Instead of using his bound hands, he moved his legs and kicked the guard's legs hard.
The guard groaned and fell to one knee. He looked back at Winston, wondering how far he could go in punishing him. The Duke of Murray Kent, the former King's adviser, opened the interrogation room door wide and came in. He stood between Kyle and the guard and spoke sternly.
“Stop right there. Your Highness, you cannot treat a suspect under investigation carelessly. Even though he has been imprisoned, he has not yet been confirmed as the culprit.”
“How long are you going to delay sentencing? If he doesn’t confess by the end, we’ll torture him!”
While Grand Duke Winston was frivolously twiddling his tongue and babbling, Kyle had some time to relax. He was busy thinking about someone.
Angie, I hope you're doing well at the Citadel.
Jerome was staying in Vintergar in secret. He planned to stay for a few more days after the secret collusion between the Vintergar royal family and the Blackwells was concluded. Then, after checking on Angie’s safety, he would return by sea instead of crossing the border. He would arrive at Hedestad through the port by tomorrow.
Somehow, he had to meet Jerome during the interrogation and check on Angie's safety. His privy council members were planning to briefly distract the consul and the overseer and let Jerome in. However, the security was getting tighter by the day, so he couldn't be sure that he would have time to do so.
At that moment, one of the bailiffs hurried in, holding a letter in his hand. He looked towards the Duke of Butland, the Lord Chancellor, then turned and handed the letter to Grand Duke Winston. In the center of the envelope was a red seal with an eagle, the symbol of the Blackwell family.
“Your Highness, I have a letter from Blackwell Homestead.”
“What about that Kyle? Is he still holding up well?”
“Yes.”
Winston nodded, his mustache looking sly. The very act of threatening to get a confession was a play. It was a well-known fact to both those who had planned it and to the person involved that Kyle had not assassinated the Emperor.
“I should have left behind some more solid evidence. Half of the Privy Council still supports the Duke. I should have dealt with the Duke’s office from Vintergar as planned... It’s a shame. I missed my chance because I suddenly joined the parade in the city without any plans.”
“Now that I think about it, where is the real culprit? He’s the illegitimate son of the previous Duke, right?”
The entire initial plan was disrupted by the intervention of Kyle in the parade. The original plan was to kill the Duke and Duchess who remained in the palace, and then kidnap the Emperor separately to distract the investigation and buy time. However, the plan was hastily changed to make him the murderer due to the Duke's defection.
But things got even more complicated there. A few days later, Michael had cut off the Emperor's lifeline, and the private soldier who followed him was supposed to deal with the real culprit. However, before the private soldier assigned to the task could arrive, Michael had already fled the scene.
“You mean Michael Randall? I heard he’s currently in the southern part of Scarborough, at his estate’s villa. It’s called Te Deum. I’ll bring him up to the capital shortly.”
“I should have handled things neatly on the spot. I almost got caught. I didn’t know that my brother would keep moving his fingers without letting up until the end. What would have happened if he could have written Mikyle from the beginning?”
“I will hold him strictly accountable for that. Should we proceed as originally planned? As soon as we get to the capital, we will...”
“Hmm.”
Winston stroked his beard after his mustache. His mind was in turmoil. With his brother gone, it was time to revise the law on illegitimate children, but he was reluctant to do so. As soon as the law was revised, the title of Duke would automatically pass to Michael when Kyle died.
That was the reason he recruited Michael from the Shadow Guard in the first place. When he offered the position of the next Duke as a reward and attempted to assassinate him, he responded as if he had been waiting for it. Blackwell's illegitimate son, despite his weak appearance, was an excellent assassin, and contrary to his kind-looking face, he was a dark-skinned man.
But what can I do since the plan went awry and I couldn't deal with him in time? If I just make him my next taskmaster, I won't be able to steal the valuable assets.
The lands and properties could be confiscated by the imperial family under any pretext in the future, but there was no way to touch the business network that was spread out all over the country. However, since it was an issue involving the imperial family register of the illegitimate son, the revision of the law could not be postponed any longer.
“No, I’ve changed my mind. It would be cleaner to just kill them, but I think they’re still useful. The money’s good, but there’s something I want to know about that family.”
"Then..."
“You should know more about his weaknesses. As soon as the Duke’s execution is decided and he is formally imprisoned, I plan to visit Te Deum.”
“Yes? Are you saying that Your Highness the Grand Duke will go all the way to the countryside yourself without calling him to the capital?”
“You can think of it as a few days of rest at a resort with good air. Will he work with threats? Will he be a guy who can be boiled to death? ...It won’t be too late to find out more about him and then decide. Get to know him completely. See if there’s something we can use as a weakness.”
The Duke bowed his head to show that he would follow the order. The Grand Duke pushed his way through the cavalry lined up and headed to the interrogation room. He gritted his teeth and tried to act as if nothing had happened. How could he be nervous in front of a young Duke who was at best his nephew?
Winston glared at Kyle, who was sitting in the interrogation room. He felt like cutting off his head right then and there, for daring to make the next Emperor feel this tense.
“It is an honor to have you come to such a wretched place, Your Highness.”
Kyle murmured coldly. His tone was polite, but his eyes held an unmistakable contempt. Winston gritted his teeth. He looked so haggard that he was furious. Kyle had been locked in the interrogation room for days, but his handsome face and sleek demeanor were not to his liking.
The Grand Duke gestured to the warden, indicating that he wanted the suspect's hands to be restrained while they met. The warden quickly tied Kyle's hands together. Only then did Winston sit down in the chair the guard had pulled out and face Kyle.
Kyle couldn't hold back his sneer. Winston snarled, feeling contempt for the hatred on his lips.
“Why are you laughing? Do I find you funny?”
“How could that be? I was just wondering. Are you afraid of me?”
“What?”
Winston's face flushed and he gestured to the bailiff and the overseer. At that unspoken command, the two left the interrogation room, leaving the guard behind. He was practically a laughingstock. He had sent the vassal away to save face, but he had left the guard behind. It was as if he had reaffirmed to himself that he was afraid of the other party.
“How about you confess now, sir? Since we’re talking between us, isn’t it already decided?”
Winston laughed wickedly. Kyle sneered again at the revelation of his true colors.
“Your Highness the Grand Duke is making the confession.”
“What are you talking about? I was saying that it was a judgment based on the principle of punishing evil and rewarding good. Anyway, Sir, if you behave yourself to me even now, I might give you special leniency.”
The Grand Duke lowered his tone. If Kyle joins his side and becomes his dog, and if he gives up the Duke's wealth and influence as much as he demands, he will grant him a special pardon due to insufficient evidence. Kyle was not so foolish as to not know what he meant. But he pretended not to know.
“Please be straightforward, Your Highness.”
“Besides, Duke, that is what you knew. Isn’t there a great secret in your family? A wondrous method to immortality? I heard it clearly from my older brother when he was drunk.”
Kyle's eyes sparkled with life. Winston flinched involuntarily, his voice trembling.
“Duke. It is a well-known fact that I will soon be sitting on the throne. Then there is nothing for me to fear. I can find out any secret or anecdote, by any means necessary.”
“Then, will you have the courage to talk to me alone then?”
"What...?"
“The throne doesn’t change the fundamental nature of a person. You can’t even be alone with me, so why are you talking about the throne...”
Before Kyle could finish his sentence, there was a thud and blood gushed out from his cheek. The punch was not from Winston but from the guard standing nearby.
Kyle snickered and sneered, but the guard didn't even look at him. After all, he was just a loyal dog following his master's orders. He didn't know that his master was not worth following.
“See? Even though I’m no match for you and can’t do anything directly, it doesn’t matter. I can use their hands and feet like this to crush you. Haha.”
Kyle's composure did not wane. He spat blood between the guard and Winston. The guard tried to stop him quickly, but Kyle was a little faster. Instead of using his bound hands, he moved his legs and kicked the guard's legs hard.
The guard groaned and fell to one knee. He looked back at Winston, wondering how far he could go in punishing him. The Duke of Murray Kent, the former King's adviser, opened the interrogation room door wide and came in. He stood between Kyle and the guard and spoke sternly.
“Stop right there. Your Highness, you cannot treat a suspect under investigation carelessly. Even though he has been imprisoned, he has not yet been confirmed as the culprit.”
“How long are you going to delay sentencing? If he doesn’t confess by the end, we’ll torture him!”
While Grand Duke Winston was frivolously twiddling his tongue and babbling, Kyle had some time to relax. He was busy thinking about someone.
Angie, I hope you're doing well at the Citadel.
Jerome was staying in Vintergar in secret. He planned to stay for a few more days after the secret collusion between the Vintergar royal family and the Blackwells was concluded. Then, after checking on Angie’s safety, he would return by sea instead of crossing the border. He would arrive at Hedestad through the port by tomorrow.
Somehow, he had to meet Jerome during the interrogation and check on Angie's safety. His privy council members were planning to briefly distract the consul and the overseer and let Jerome in. However, the security was getting tighter by the day, so he couldn't be sure that he would have time to do so.
At that moment, one of the bailiffs hurried in, holding a letter in his hand. He looked towards the Duke of Butland, the Lord Chancellor, then turned and handed the letter to Grand Duke Winston. In the center of the envelope was a red seal with an eagle, the symbol of the Blackwell family.
“Your Highness, I have a letter from Blackwell Homestead.”
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